CHP leader implies president’s choices dominate ruling party’s list

ANKARA

DHA Photo

The leader of Turkey’s social democrat, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has indicated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan put his mark on the candidate lists of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the June 7 parliamentary election.

“You should ask that question to the one who is residing in the palace,” CHP head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said when asked whether “The palace or the Prime Ministry dominated” the ruling party’s list, in an apparent reference respectively to President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. 

“For the reason that he [Erdoğan] is the leading actor; the other one [Davutoğlu] is under tutelage,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, speaking to reporters on April 8, a day after all political parties submitted their candidate lists to the related authority.

Many of Erdoğan’s close allies were featured in the ruling party’s list of candidates for the June 7 vote, which was announced on April 7, bolstering his hopes of cementing support for stronger presidential powers. 

This is not the first time Kılıçdaroğlu has suggested Erdoğan was “holding the reins of” Davutoğlu. 

The CHP leader was also asked to comment on the candidacy of Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, a former presidential candidate and the former head of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), for parliament from the ranks of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

“I’ve been happy [to have heard]. It is always good to have a very precious and experienced person in parliament,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

In the August 2014 presidential elections, nominated as a joint candidate for the CHP and the MHP, İhsanoğlu, was defeated by Erdoğan, as the president was directly elected for the first time by citizens’ votes.