Turkish parliament speaker meets with main opposition CHP's leader

ANKARA

Turkish Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım and main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu held a snap closed-door meeting in parliament on Dec. 2.

The 50-minute long meeting took place at Kılıçdaroğlu’s office in parliament as the parliament speaker paid a return courtesy call to the main opposition leader.

“We do not need a specific reason to meet. I paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Chairman”, Yıldırım told reporters after the meeting in which the two discussed parliamentary works.

“After I was elected as parliamentary speaker, Kılıçdaroğlu paid me a visit with his friends. Then parliament went into recess. In the new period, I have had the opportunity to give information to him about parliament’s works," he added.

Kılıçdaroğlu, thanking Yıldırım for his visit, said “Mr. Parliament Speaker paid a courtesy visit and gave information about the works carried out in parliament.”

The previous meeting of Kılıçdaroğlu and Yıldırım was conducted in July 25, nearly four months ago. Kılıçdaroğlu had paid a visit to Yıldırım to congratulate him on his new duty and to talk about issues regarding then-jailed CHP deputy Enis Berberoğlu and former CHP deputy Eren Erdem who is currently behind bars.

Yıldırım, former prime minister of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, is widely expected be the top contender running for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in the upcoming local elections on March 31, 2019.