MHP to mobilize forces for 2023 elections, says Bahçeli

ANKARA

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is mobilizing its forces, dispatching officials to meet people from all walks of life in preparation for the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2023, its leader, Devlet Bahçeli, has said. 

“We will reach out to non-governmental organizations, community leaders, businesspeople and farmers to listen to what they have to say, answer their questions and tell them about our policies and targets,” Bahçeli said at his party’s parliamentary group meeting on Nov. 2.

“We will not stop on our path to build Turkey’s future and forge our unity until 2023.”

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the MHP formed the People Alliance and raced in the previous 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).

Bahçeli also said that during this campaign, the MHP will expose the true nature and the “secret agenda” of the CHP, noting that in the June 2018 elections the main opposition party formed an alliance with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in constituencies where the former garnered the most vote. 

During his speech, the nationalist leader also criticized the U.S. for its shift in attitude following Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system.

“The Biden administration has obviously no good feelings for Turkey because of its position on several issues, including the S-400 acquisition from Russia…The S-400 issue is within the borders of our sovereignty, and anyone’s indiscretion to set a course for Turkey on this issue will not be left unanswered,” he said.