Türkiye to make a new beginning on May 14: CHP leader
GAZİANTEP
The main opposition party leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has expressed his confidence that Türkiye will enter in a new era after the May 14 polls in which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the joint oppositional candidate will race for the presidency.
“Trust us. The elections will be held on May 14. We will cast our votes and we will make a new beginning altogether. It will be a beautiful beginning,” Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) said at a meeting in the southeastern Anatolian town of Gaziantep late on Jan. 18.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s statement came after Erdoğan signaled that the presidential and parliamentary polls will be held on May 14, instead of June 18.
CHP is the leading party of the oppositional six-party Nation Alliance which has already agreed to stand against Erdoğan with a joint presidential candidate. The alliance will announce its candidate in February after unveiling its joint government program on Jan. 30.
“Our country has many problems. They need to be solved. Solving them is up to us. They can be resolved when we elect those who can deal with these problems best,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. Those who acknowledge that Türkiye has deeper problems under this government should change their votes, he suggested.
“Yes, our country is surrounded by a circle of fire. We are aware of it. But why are we fighting instead of living in this beautiful country in peace? Can you please tell me why we are making politics over the people’s identities, beliefs and lifestyles?” Kılıçdaroğlu asked.
CHP leader underlined the need for a new political understanding to prevent Türkiye from further polarizing, he said, “We need a political understanding that will help us to walk together. We will be much stronger when we walk together.”
He also repeated that more than 3 million Syrians will return to their homeland when they come to power. “They will only come to Türkiye as tourists,” he added.
