Former Islamic head İhsanoğlu mistakes ‘rock-on’ gesture for grey wolf sign

ISTANBUL

Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the former head of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and a former Turkish presidential candidate, was left red-faced after mistaking the symbolic Turkish nationalist grey wolf hand gesture for the “rock-on” sign. 

İhsanoğlu, who will run for parliament from Istanbul from the ranks of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the upcoming general election, was ridiculed on social media after the gaffe, made in his first official public appearance after becoming a nominee. 

The ultranationalist grey wolf gesture is formed by placing the ring and middle fingers on the thumb, thus forming the head of a wolf. The sign bears some similarity to the “rock-on” sign performed by metalheads the world over. 

Before his appearance was overshadowed by making the gaffe, İhsanoğlu, who spoke at the press meeting organized in MHP’s provincial building in Istanbul on April 16, said the public had expressed a great demand to see him in parliament.

“It was not only the public, many political leaders also wanted such a move [from me.] I made an assessment in and found contrary to my understanding of homeland to escape from such [a demand],” he said. 

İhsanoğlu was the joint candidate put forward by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the presidential election of August 2014, where he was a distant second behind President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.