CHP leader criticizes ‘North Korea-like discipline’ in AKP congress

ANKARA

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Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has likened the recent Justice and Development Party (AKP) congress, which brought Binali Yıldırım to post, to a “North Korean model” for a sense of discipline. 

“It was total military discipline. This is the North Korean model,” he said.

Delegates at the congress on May 22 were “standing up, crying and applauding” on command, Kılıçdaroğlu said.

“These people now say they will bring democracy to the country. Thousands of people have lent their thinking to one person,” he said. 

A message by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was read out as delegates stood up at attention during the congress. 

Former Transport Minister Yıldırım replaced party head and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu at the convention. 

On last week’s parliament decision to lift immunities of deputies who have faced legal probes, Kılıçdaroğlu said that unlike the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), his CHP would not take the issue to the constitutional court but the party will lend legal support to all deputies who face the prospect of being tried.