BBP back İhsanoğlu despite internal problems

ANKARA

BBP chairman Mustafa Destici (C) speaks during a press conference. AA Photo

The Great Union Party (BBP) has reiterated its support to Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the opposition parties’ joint presidential candidate, despite a number of BBP members recently resigning from the party over its support for İhsanoğlu.

“This is our democratic decision. We are not siding with any political party or political front with this decision. Everybody has to respect the BBP’s decision as we do the same to others’ decisions,” Mustafa Destici, chairman of the BBP said at a press conference on July 20. Destici, whose ultra-nationalist party has around two percent of public support, defended their decision after some party officials criticized him for siding with the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). 

Recalling that BBP members met with both İhsanoğlu and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to listen to their views, Destici said the party has given its decision after a general consultation.

Destici recalled that the party’s legendary leader, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, who was killed in a mysterious helicopter accident, once said “Prime Minister Erdoğan who claims to be the co-leader of the Greater Middle East Project can’t be the president [of Turkey as well].”