Not all ‘no’ votes belong to CHP, Main opposition leader says

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said it is too early to discuss the possibility of his candidacy in the 2019 presidential elections while stressing that it would be wrong to think that all of the “no” votes in last month’s referendum belonged to the CHP.

“There is nothing more wrong than uttering names today. We have to start from principles and designate candidates in the framework of those principles. We cannot know today if that person will be person A, B or C,” Kılıçdaroğlu told daily Cumhuriyet’s Ayşe Sayın on May 9.

“There is a certain segment that voted ‘no’ and defended the democratic parliamentarian system. It constitutes half of society. It would be wrong to set aside this population entirely and put yourself forward as the CHP leader as if 49 percent of the votes belong to you. We have to move on by widening this ground and strengthening the association without creating further disappointments,” he added.

Kılıçdaroğlu said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the “yes” camp’s forthcoming strategy would be to shatter the “no will.”

“There is nothing more natural than the fact that the ruling block is uncomfortable [with the result]. In this manner, they will hope to scatter the 49 percent as part of their target for 2019,” he said, adding that his party would look to consolidate the alliance of the 49 percent because there was a “natural alliance.”

“There was an alliance for ‘no.’ Mrs. Meral Akşener has defined it as a ‘no party;’ in other words, a natural alliance. All in all, the emerged circumstance and the election bulletins of the parties will be taken into consideration in time,” he said.

The CHP leader is set to meet with the leaders of certain political parties, including Felicity Party (SP) leader Temel Karamollaoğlu on May 12.

Inner-party disputes

Kılıçdaroğlu also dismissed any possibility of extraordinary congress as certain CHP lawmakers and officials have demanded, saying the timetable for the official congress was on track and there was no difference in terms of time between an extraordinary and an ordinary congress.

“I think these arguments have been left behind, frankly. It is, of course, the most natural rights of our friends who wish to be leader. I would even arrange the hall, and I would invite the delegation if they wish so that they can come and make a speech. It is in my democratic standard,” he said.

“There is no place for such a fight. People can come, be a candidate for the leadership. If they win, they will become the leader and we will be respectful of that,” he added.