CHP grassroots likely to green-light coalition with AKP

Şehriban Oğhan - ANKARA

DHA Photo

The grassroots of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) are likely to green-light a coalition between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the CHP, contrary to their stance immediately after the June 7 parliamentary elections in Turkey, CHP Istanbul provincial head Murat Karayalçın told daily Hürriyet on July 10.

“Right after the [June 7] elections, the CHP grassroots thought ‘the AKP should not be a coalition partner.’ Now they are likely to welcome [an AKP-CHP coalition],” Karayalçın said.

He said a CHP mayor in the Aegean province of İzmir had expressed his wish for a coalition with the AKP, despite the fact he had previously been against the scenario.  

The big players of the economy continued to say any early election in Turkey would have a negative impact on the Turkish economy in 2016, said Karayalçın, a politician with experience serving as deputy prime minister in a past coalition government of Turkey.

“It is said that an early election will have a high cost and voters will not be welcoming to that,” he added.

Karayalçın also touched upon the Kurdish peace talks and the share of the vote his party got in the June 7 parliamentary election.

Suspending the Kurdish peace process would have adverse effects on Turkey’s societal peace as well as the Turkish economy, Karayalçın said.

In any early election, the CHP would increase its share of the vote, Karayalçın said, adding “It is interesting that our share of the vote has dropped, but we proved well-reputed.”