14 provincial organizations of ruling alliance’s Islamist partner to back Kılıçdaroğlu: Report

Fourteen provincial organizations of the Islamist New Welfare Party (YRP) will back the opposition Nation Alliance's candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the 2023 presidential elections, according to reporting by newspaper Karar columnist Elif Çakır. On March 24, the YRP joined the ruling coalition People’s Alliance after lengthy negotiations.

Monday April 03 2023 05:40 pm

This file photo shows the building of the New Welfare Party's headquarters.

Duvar English

Fourteen provincial organizations of the Islamist New Welfare Party (YRP) told their party leader Fatih Erbakan that they will not support President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential elections, according to newspaper Karar columnist Elif Çakır.

The party became the partner of the ruling coalition People’s Alliance on March 24 after lengthy negotiations. The YRP initially announced that they will run independently but then took a decision to join the alliance after reaching a consensus with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on adopting conservative laws regarding women and LGBTI+ rights. The YRP’s demands about deteriorating women’s rights have reportedly faced resistance from women AKP bureaucrats.

Karar columnist Çakır said that she spoke to a provincial chair of the YRP and he stated that they informed their party’s leader Erbakan of their decision. The chair said that 14 provincial organizations also reported in writing to the headquarters that they disapprove of the alliance and would never vote for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or the AKP.

The chair concluded that their provincial cadres will vote for the Nation Alliance’s candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu who is the leader of the secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).