CHP leader: No disciplinary action for party dissident İnce

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said that he is not planning on launching disciplinary action against party dissident and former presidential candidate Muharrem İnce, while defying criticisms that he is ragging the party to the right.

In an interview with daily Cumhuriyet published on Aug. 17, Kılıçdaroğlu said that he is not planning to take disciplinary action against İnce “at this stage.”

Asked when such an action will be taken, Kılıçdaroğlu said that the CHP does not want to hold onto any member who damages the party.

İnce said last week that Turkey has both a government and an opposition problem and needs to exit the current political stalemate, while announcing the launch of his “Motherland Movement in 1,000 days” as an alternative to the existing political parties.

About the opposition within the party, the CHP leader said that contrary to other parties it is the “tradition of democracy.”

“It is our responsibility to tolerate all criticisms, oppositions, without them stemming from personal interest,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

“Because the Republican People’s Party is one of the foundation stones of Turkey, it is the CHP that introduced [Turkey] to a multi-party political system.

“If we are defending democracy, we should be democrats within the party first.”

Regarding criticisms that the CHP has shifted from its social democratic stance to a more right-wing party under his leadership, Kılıçdaorğlu said that the claim is one of the most “ridiculous” things he has heard in his life.

“Those who are making these criticisms are mostly ‘so-called’ leftists,” he said, adding that his party has voiced the troubles of the middle and working-class and brought the items into the country’s agenda.

“We have protected all segments of society until this day. Tell me, where does being right-wing fit into this,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

The CHP leader also underlined that he gives importance to those criticizing the CHP with a “sincere” approach, but he does not accept the criticisms made towards the party at “rakı tables.”