Gov’t will eventually ‘have to’ go to early polls, main opposition CHP leader says

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will have to call for early elections, “saying we cannot rule this country anymore,” main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has claimed.

“I have been stressing, since the local elections, that [the CHP] will not have an early election demand and that I do not find this right. We are still standing at the same point. An early election is not right,” said Kılıçdaroğlu in an interview with daily Cumhuriyet.

“However, when we assess the situation from the ruling party’s bloc, these people will eventually have to face that they cannot rule Turkey in many areas, especially the economy,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

“Thus, they will say ‘we cannot rule anymore, we have to go to early polls,” he claimed.

The CHP leader has previously made the same claim during a speech at the western province of Denizli, saying the government “is unable to overcome issues” regarding domestic and foreign policies and economic troubles.

“There is a political power that cannot overcome issues. The ruling party can mandatorily go to early elections, saying ‘I cannot rule this country anymore,’” Kılıçdaroğlu had said.

AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik, on the other hand, refuted the claims.

“Early elections are not on our agenda. If a person is to bring this up as a political challenge, Kılıçdaroğlu is the last person to do this. He has been frequently exhibiting this rhetoric saying Turkey is not being run efficiently,” Çelik said.

“The government knows its agenda. Turkey is being ruled with tenacity with the leadership of our president,” he added.

Regarding the economic troubles, the CHP chief said the biggest problem is unemployment.

“The economy can contract or recess but, the most painful problem is unemployment. It is a total disaster. One out of every four young people is unemployed. The sociological facts [unemployment] data create is more troubling,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

The nation’s psychology is “messed up,” according to Kılıçdaroğlu.

“This is the point a country that is detached from production reaches,” he said, accusing the government of overlooking the issue.

“Because they do not have a problem such as unemployment,” he added.