Felicity Party says it may consider joining People Alliance

ANKARA

Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoğlu has said his party could consider joining the People Alliance, formed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), only if provided a change to the presidential system.

“Can an alliance be made with the AK Party? Yes. Under what conditions? Provided that they change its policies that we find wrong. We focus on principles,” he told HaberTürk private broadcaster on Jan. 23.

Karamollaoğlu was replying to a question regarding a visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the chairman of the Felicity Party High Advisory Board, Oğuzhan Asiltürk, at his home on Jan. 7, a step seen as the AKP’s efforts to find new allies for the next elections.

“Only one person is elected in the presidential system, he is the one who is effective. Parliament seems to have almost no provision. Is there a presidential system in Europe and America like we do?” Karamollaoğlu said.

“We see these visits positively. I believe that the visit of the president to all the [political] leaders, sitting around the table, and speaking will be instrumental in obtaining more reasonable results. What will come out of here? It is not possible to say that already,” he stated.

The politician pointed at the next election period, which is scheduled for 2023, to discuss the issue. “Alliances are not a coalition. Therefore, I believe that it is not right to bring up the issue early and make long-lasting, especially speculative, comments,” he added.

The ruling AKP and MHP’s People Alliance raced in elections against the Nation Alliance, which consists of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the İYİ (Good) Party, the Felicity Party and the Democrat Party (DP).

Elaborating on his visit to Asiltürk, Erdoğan on Jan. 8 said his visit aimed both for a possible future election alliance and to achieve the Felicity Party’s support in the government’s fight against terrorism.

The Felicity Party is the successor of the Welfare Party where President Erdoğan’s political career began. Last week, the president also visited the grave of Necmettin Erbakan, former leader of the Welfare Party whom Erdoğan was at odds with. Erdoğan and a group of party members later had split from Erbakan to form the AKP.