Opposition alliance emphasizes ‘joint candidate’ for presidential polls

ANKARA

The leaders of the six opposition parties have agreed to run in the next presidential elections with a joint candidate but without spelling out who he or she might be, in their sixth in-person meeting over the weekend.

“Our people should be assured that our joint candidate will be the president of all and not only the 13th President of the Republic of Türkiye and those who vote for the political parties coming together around this table,” read a joint statement released following the meeting of the leaders of the Nation Alliance on Aug. 21.

Felicity Party Chairman Temel Karamollaoğlu hosted the sixth meeting of the opposition leaders with the participation of Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Good (İYİ) Party Chairwoman Meral Akşener, Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) Chairman Ali Babacan, Future Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoğlu and Democrat Party Chairman Gültekin Uysal.

The first in-person meeting of the leaders was held on Feb. 12 by the CHP. Since then, all leaders hosted a once-a-month meeting in alphabetical order. Karamollaoğlu’s auspice was the last one of the first round. They agreed to continue the meetings and the next one will be held on Oct. 2 by Kılıçdaroğlu.

“Our people should be at ease; these dark days are almost over,” it read, stressing the leaders’ determination in walking this road together throughout the election process. “Our struggle and cooperation will endure under our objectives and principles until we save our country from the crises it has been dragged into and until the day each and every citizen can breathe a sigh of relief,” it stated.

Recalling that there is a growing trend of pressure and violence against the oppositional parties, the statement said, adding this will never allow it to shake the determination of the Nation Alliance.

“We are aware of the disappointments that our people have been suffering from for years. We will come out with eligible cadres and efficient policies to relive the people’s disappointments,” it noted.