MHP leader downplays ‘strengthened parliamentary system’ meeting

ANKARA

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has downplayed a meeting of six opposition parties at the weekend held to shape a road map for a “strengthened parliamentary system.”

“They do not have presidential candidates, they do not have a strategy and they do not have the slightest preparation for the future,” he said.

Bahçeli suggested that the opposition leaders are even “deprived of saying anything new.”

“Intention to go back is not reform,” he stated, referring to the opposition parties’ aim to reinstate the parliamentary system.

“They say they wanted to establish a democratic Turkey where everyone sees themselves as equal. Tell me another one. Everyone living in our country is an equal and free citizen,” he stated.

The leaders of six opposition parties held their first meeting on Feb. 12 to discuss the results of ongoing joint work for a return to the parliamentary system if they come to power in the next elections.

The invitation for the meeting was extended by CHP chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to İYİ (Good) Party chair Meral Akşener, Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoğlu, Democrat Party leader Gültekin Uysal, Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) leader Ali Babacan and Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu.

A statement released after the meeting said that the “strengthened parliamentary system” memorandum of understanding would be made public by the leaders on Feb. 28.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) was not invited to the meeting, but Bahçeli suggested that the HDP was “covered” as part of the initiative.

He also resembled the date of a joint declaration by the opposition parties on Feb. 28 to the 1997’s “postmodern coup.”

The date Feb. 28 is known for the forced resignation of the democratically elected government in early 1997. On Feb. 28, 1997, the military was involved in the collapse of late Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan’s administration amid concerns expressed by generals about the government’s alleged Islamist program.

“They will also announce the text of the agreement on the strengthened parliamentary system on Feb. 28. Of course, it is not coincidental that they chose Feb. 28 as the day of the announcement. This alliance has rotted inside and collapsed,” Bahçeli said.