Erdoğan receives opposition CHP presidential candidate İnce for visit

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Muharrem İnce, the main opposition Republican People Party’s (CHP) presidential candidate, for a visit late on May 9.

The meeting at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) headquarters in the capital Ankara lasted for 40 minutes.

AKP Group Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş and CHP Group Deputy Chair Engin Altay were also present at the meeting.

After the meeting, İnce told reporters that wished Erdoğan and his party success in the forthcoming snap elections to take place on June 24.

Elitaş said Erdoğan and İnce had a friendly conversation and wished each other success.

Last month, parliament passed a bill calling for early elections a year-and-a-half ahead of schedule.

The government aims to cement Turkey’s shift to an executive presidential system, which was narrowly approved in a controversial referendum in April 2017, marred by allegations of voting irregularities.