Crisis in Türkiye's opposition: Who says what?

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Politicians reacted to the Good (İYİ) Party's decision not to support the candidacy of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener announced her party's decision today (March 3), a day after a meeting with the six leaders of the opposition bloc. After the meeting, the leaders had said in a joint statement that "we have reached a common understanding" regarding the candidacy for president.

CLICK - Türkiye's opposition alliance breaks up as key ally refuses to back Kılıçdaroğlu

Responding briefly to Akşener's move, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "Don't worry, everything will fall into place. We are continuing on our path."

Mehmet Emin Ekmen, deputy chair of the Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party, one of the six parties of the alliance, tweeted, "If there is no loyalty to kindness, grace, respect, self-respect, and most importantly, to the truth, do we need to discuss the rest?"

Democratic Party (DP) Deputy Chair Cemal Enginyurt wrote, "We stand by our words. We have said the Nation's Alliance, ans we'll continue to say that."

The İYİ Party is the second-largest party in the bloc of six parties. Following Akşener's statement, many social media users who describe themselves as İYİ Party members said they would resign from the party. Some of them shared screenshots of their applications for resignation on the e-government portal.

Canan Kaftancıoğlu, head of the CHP's İstanbul organization, wrote on Twitter, "Never be hopeless."

"We'll write history together, for the sake of our people and those we lost [in the earthquakes], They will go," she added.

Hüda Kaya, an MP with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), wrote, "I'm not surprised at all."

Ferhat Encü, the party's İstanbul chair, wrote, "We are not surprised, those who are should think about that. Can there be a partnership with fascists?"

The Table of Six

The six-party bloc comprises the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the İYİ (Good) Party, the Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party, the Gelecek (Future) Party, the Saadet (Felicity) Party and the Democratic Party (DP).

Leaders of the parties had their first round table meeting on February 22, 2022, to address the country's problems and discuss solutions.

On February 28, they signed a memorandum of understanding to switch to what they called an "enforced parliamentary system" after the elections. Such a change would require the opposition bloc to have a three-fifth majority in the parliament, which is not likely according to election polls.

The DEVA Party, led by former deputy PM Ali Babacan, and the Gelecek Party, led by former PM Ahmet Davutoğlu, are the two splinter movements from the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The Saadet Party also shares the same Islamic roots with the AKP, which has been in power for over 20 years.

The four parties other than the CHP and the İYİ Party have no significant popular support, with their voting rates below 3 percent, according to most election polls. However, their support may prove crucial in what is anticipated to be a close race.

(TY/VK)