CHP disappointed after barely increasing vote rate

ANKARA

AP photo

Turkey’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), which had entertained hopes of making gains throug a constructive election campaign, failed to increase its votes significantly in the Nov. 1 polls, remaining the country’s main opposition party.

The leader of the social democrat party, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, said late on Nov. 1 after the annoucement of the initial results that the responsibility on the party’s shoulders had incerased.

The country faced a second election under extraordinary conditions between the June 7 election and the reelection on Nov. 1.

“Some 400 people died in this period,” he said. “This should be evaluated very carefully.”

Responding to question on whether he would resign, Kılıçdaroğlu said the executive bodies of the party would decide on the matter, praising the CHP for “bringing democracy to the country.”

A senior official from the party told Reuters while the votes were being counted that there was no likelihood of a coalition government. 

The party, which succeeded in becoming the first party in just six provinces out of 81 across the country, won 135 of 550 seats, according to initial results. 

The CHP won 131 seats with a little less than 25 percent of the votes in the June 7 elections that resulted in a re-election after no parties were able to form a one-party or coalition government.   The party increased its votes in Istanbul, the largest city in the country, by two points to 30 percent but still won only 28 MPs, the same number as the election five months ago. The party ran its campaign on economic promises.