Former presidential candidate, CHP dissident İnce launches ‘Motherland Movement’

ANKARA

Turkey has both a government and an opposition problem and needs to exit this current political stalemate, Muharrem İnce, a former main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential candidate and a party dissident, has said, announcing the launch of his “Motherland Movement in 1,000 days” as an alternative to existing political parties.

“Even if I resign from the CHP, it will mean to save the party. We are introducing a new alternative to Turkey. The name of the movement I announce today is ‘Motherland Movement in 1,000 day,’” İnce told a press conference in Ankara on Aug. 13.

İnce has long been at odds with CHP chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the aftermath of the presidential elections in June 2018. There were reports that İnce was willing to form his own party, but said he will hit the road as a political movement.

“Turkey’s problems cannot be resolved either by a one-man government or a one-man opposition. Turkey is not without alternatives,” he stated.

İnce criticized both President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu and explained that he will soon introduce his aides in the coming days. “The Motherland Movement will start from Sivas on Sept. 4,” İnce said, referring to the day that marks the historic convention held by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at the beginning of the Independence War.

“It’s a dream for the CHP to come to power,” İnce said. “There are those who blame me for the CHP’s defeat. The CHP has no such ambition.”

The former presidential candidate also accused the CHP leadership of undermining his election campaign and of not lending support to him.

“The [CHP’s] officials in the polling stations did not do their jobs. Four million votes went to waste. How could I appear before the people on the election night? I was not given data,” he argued.

İnce has long been criticized for not taking control of the vote-counting process as he disappeared on the night of the election on June 23 until the next day, with voters having waited an official statement or concession from him.

He is expected to pay visits to all the provinces across the country in 1,000 days, nearly three years, and to promote his movement until the next elections will be held in June 2023.