CHP says it wants a Turkey ‘devoid of fighting’

ANKARA

AA photo

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said his party is in favor of a peaceful country in which all citizens can live in unity and comfort, in a visit to the Felicity Party (SP), which also stood against the constitutional amendments in the April 16 referendum. 

Kılıçdaroğlu paid a courtesy visit to SP leader Temel Karamollaoğlu on May 12, while he will also meet the leaders and representatives of other political parties and civil society groups from the “no” campaign, which received 48.6 percent of the vote.

“We need peace, we need to speak to each other even if we have different opinions,” Kılıçdaroğlu said during the visit. He was accompanied by CHP deputy leaders Haluk Koç and Mehmet Bekaroğlu. 

“Turkey will enjoy comfort to a great extent if we can establish our political understanding on this basis and we can strengthen the democratic parliamentary system,” he said. “People can freely express and write their thoughts. We have consensus on this.”

Karamollaoğlu thanked Kılıçdaroğlu for the visit and stressed that all people should be able to live in peace and comfort in the country despite different opinions. “We are of the opinion that these differing opinions should stimulate friendships and not conflicts.” 

Upon questions, both leaders stressed that they had not discussed the 2019 presidential elections and whether the “no” campaign should introduce a common candidate. “We have just shared our concerns about the future of Turkey,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. “Mr. Chairman mentioned one important thing: justice. No state can exist in the absence of justice. Turkey needs peace and justice.”

Karamollaoğlu, for his part, said it was too early to discuss 2019 elections and that the public would hear about these when the time comes. 

Kılıçdaroğlu has previously underlined that his party’s future roadmap against the constitutional amendment includes further alignment with different segments of society and political life which voted against the charter.

Kılıçdaroğlu said on May 10 that his party would work to consolidate the 49 percent of the country who voted against the charter and would attempt to reach different parts of the political realm to do that.

The CHP leader is also slated to visit the Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP), the Democrat Party (DP), the Homeland Party (VP) and the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), as well as nongovernmental organizations that supported the “no” campaign.