CHP out, MHP in at presidential oath taking ceremony

ANKARA

DHA Photo

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), will not attend President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s oath taking ceremony on Aug. 28, on the grounds that Erdoğan violated the law by not resigning from his prime ministry position on Aug. 15, following the official announcement of the presidential election result.

“Our chairman will not join the presidential oath taking ceremony. Erdoğan will take the oath in the name of democracy, but there is a crime here,” CHP Spokesperson Haluk Koç told reporters on Aug. 20, following the party’s weekly Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting.

Although Kılıçdaroğlu will not personally be present at the ceremony, he has left his lawmakers personally free to decide whether to attend, not instructing a formal party boycott of the ceremony.

Erdoğan will take over the presidency from Abdullah Gül on Aug. 28 but the oath taking ceremony will take place at Parliament.

After he is presented his mandate as president, Erdoğan will take his oath in front of lawmakers and a number of guests, including senior state officials and ambassadors. There is no obligation for lawmakers to attend the ceremony at Parliament. 

CHP head Kılıçdaroğlu had earlier expressed his intention to not attend receptions and invitations to be held by President Erdoğan after the latter stressed that he would invite opposition leaders one or two times and if they do not attend he would shut the doors of the presidency to them.

Bahçeli highlights ‘state traditions’

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), however, is going to be present at Parliament on Aug. 28, its leader has announced.

“The MHP is a party that is respectful of state traditions. By force of our respect to state traditions, we will join Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s oath taking ceremony. The MHP will be present at the ceremony,” MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said at a press conference on Aug. 20.