CHP: No alliance for upcoming local polls

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has reiterated that it won’t seek partnership with any political party in the upcoming municipal elections, stressing that it has focused on finding “the best candidates to get the best results out of the polls.”

CHP spokesperson Faik Öztrak said the CHP was not considering pre-election alliance when asked at a press conference he held following the weekly party meeting on Sept. 10.

“The other side [the ruling Justice and Development Party – AKP and the Nationalist Movement Party - MHP] say they will form an alliance for the [local] polls. But it is problematic, how will you make it? Laws no longer allow [election] alliance,” Öztrak stressed.

Turkish laws do not allow pre-election alliance in local elections although it is possible in general polls. However, political parties can cooperate in nominating joint candidates in certain constituencies.

“People will vote for the best candidate in these elections,” he said, accusing the AKP-MHP alliance of trying to interfere in the people’s will.

The AKP and MHP have announced their intention to collaborate for the municipal polls slated for March 2019 as they did for the June 24 presidential and parliamentary elections.

The CHP, İYİ (Good) Party and the Felicity Party (SP) had formed their own alliance for the June polls. But both the CHP and İYİ Party announced they will run independently in the local polls.

Öztrak stressed that the CHP left internal rifts behind and came together for the local polls. “There is no in-house fighting. We are walking together with the best candidates to get the best results out of the local polls,” he stressed.

“Because, we very well know that these elections are the last ones that we can stop this one-man regime. Otherwise, it will be much more difficult.”