CHP party assembly authorizes Kılıçdaroğlu to form alliance

ISTANBUL

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) party assembly on April 24 granted full authorization to its leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to hold electoral alliance talks and make all necessary decisions regarding the issue, CHP spokesman leader Bülent Tezcan has said. 

In its extraordinary meeting regarding the upcoming early presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, the CHP party assembly unanimously accepted that Kılıçdaroğlu is fully authorized to take steps regarding a possible electoral alliance with other political parties.

Tezcan said there is a consensus in the party on the necessity to put a comprehensive alliance model into practice.

“We have already been holding alliance talks. Our party assembly has granted authorization to our leader to take the necessary steps in a way to get the best result,” Tezcan said.

“A presidential candidate will soon be announced,” he added.

The CHP leader has left the door open for a possible electoral alliance by calling on the leaders of all political parties and saying they are ready to make sacrifices.

“We are already making sacrifices for Turkey to reach the light. We are ready. We love our country,” Kılıçdaroğlu said on April 24, addressing his party group in parliament.

Following the announcement for snap elections, the CHP group has been holding meetings with opposition parties, which have objected to the constitutional amendment that stipulates the executive presidential shift in Turkey’s regime.

While the political parties are expected to submit their alliance protocols to the Supreme Board of Elections within a week, the opposition’s alliance meetings have run-up.

Criticizing the current state of democracy in Turkey, Kılıçdaroğlu said opposition parties “are obliged to provide a wide alliance and wide association.”

“This period is not a period of you or me. This is not a period of party A or party B. This period is a time to act together to save the homeland,” he said.