Muharrem İnce donates 500 liras each to rival presidential candidates

ANKARA

Muharrem İnce, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has donated 500 Turkish Liras to the campaigns of all five rival presidential candidates.

“In these difficult times, society and politics should embrace [each other] and not get into polarization. Politicians are not enemies. That is why I have donated to the election campaigns of my competitors from my own wage,” İnce posted on his official Twitter account on May 23 after depositing 500 liras into the accounts of rival presidential candidates Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Selahattin Demirtaş, Meral Akşener, Temel Karamollaoğlu and Doğu Perinçek.

“I hope my dear competitor presidential candidates can spend it well. I pray for their health and make my gesture,” İnce told reporters outside the bank.

Answering questions about whether he expects other candidates to donate to him, he said “it would be nice if they do.”

İnce also criticized President Erdoğan - the joint candidate of “National Alliance” of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Grand Union Party (BBP) - for excessive and unchecked use of public resources for his campaign.

“Mr. Erdoğan doesn’t need money. All planes, cars, discretionary funds are in his service,” he said, adding that he donated to the president’s campaign “to be fair.”