Akşener advises Erdoğan to see psychiatrist after his threat against potential protestors

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İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener has advised President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “to see immediately a psychiatrist” after his threat of violence against potential protestors.

“From wherever you look, it is strangeness, nonsense. I advise Erdoğan to immediately see a psychiatrist since it is the behavior of a person who is hallucinating,” Akşener said during a joint press conference held with Democrat Party leader Gültekin Uysal on Jan. 5.

Akşener's comments came after Erdoğan accused the opposition of encouraging people to take to the streets to protest the government. During an address to his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers, Erdoğan said that any potential protestors would face the fate of coup plotters of July 15, 2016.

“So, they will go out on the street shamelessly and tirelessly. Didn't you see the 15th of July? As the People's Alliance, we would put all of you in front of us and chase you off until your destination,” Erdoğan said on Jan. 4.

Akşener said that none of the four parties within the Nation Alliance had called on people “to take to streets” and that Erdoğan was “hallucinating” with his claim.

“No remarks of 'struggling on the street, taking to the streets' came out of anyone's [any opposition leader] mouth. But, the President, the person who is the AKP's chair, says, 'They are going to take to the streets, to the squares; let's see you do that,'” Akşener said.

Erdoğan created 'imaginary enemies' in his mind, says DEVA leader Babacan

Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) leader Ali Babacan also commented on Erdoğan's remarks, saying that the president has “created imaginary enemies” in his mind.

“No one is going on the streets. He [Erdoğan] is shadowboxing. He has created imaginary enemies in his mind. He is occupied with them. On top of that, he is doing injustice to our people who went out on the streets on July 15 on behalf of protecting democracy. I would like to recall to Mr. Erdoğan that peaceful protests are a constitutional right in democracies,” Babacan said during a press meeting at his party's headquarters on Jan. 5.

Meanwhile, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on Jan. 5 that he had instructed his party members "not to make a scene, not to go on streets and to wait for the elections with patience." 

During a meeting with journalists, Kılıçdaroğlu said that Erdoğan has been "living in a world of dream" and that he had created the perception as if the CHP has been encouraging people to participate in street protests.