Nationalist party leader says Turkish President, ruling party aiming to pressure opposition

“AKP legionaries are making the era of pressure and oppression live by giving a full-page newspaper advertisement,” said MHP head Bahçeli, on June 1 during a rally speech in Turkey’s western province of Edirne, while also adding Erdoğan had brought forward his “paid soldiers” to oppress the opposition, divide democracy and prune rights and freedoms. 

“This platform, which is more or less known to whom it serves, has sunk to a new level by attempting to attack Turkish politics. It is a deficiency of honor and dignity to insult the opposition leaders by openly giving their names,” Bahçeli said. 

The full-page advertisement openly gave the names of all three of the opposition party leaders represented in parliament and asked what the leaders had allegedly done in an accusing tone. The advertisement asked main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu if he was a populist, Bahçeli if he was a nationalist and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş if he was a democrat, all in reference to the names of the political parties they represent. 

The advertisement, which was issued in some dailies that are known to be close to the government and Erdoğan, was issued by the Civilian Solidarity Platform (SDP), which had previously also issued controversial advertisements in favor of the ruling party.