Nation Alliance leaders emphasize unity after Akşener’s remarks

Duvar English

The leader of the parties consisting of the main opposition Nation Alliance have released separate statements emphasizing unity after Good (İYİ) Party leader Meral Akşener’s signal to depart from the alliance.

Opposing CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s expected nomination for the presidential election in 2023, İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener on March 3 called on CHP mayors Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş to take on the role. 

Felicity Party (SP) leader Temal Karamollaoğlu shared a written statement on Twitter, saying "We stand behind the promise we made to our nation! We continue on our way with the same faith, perseverance, and determination."

Karamollaoğlu reminded that a joint candidate and road map for the transition process after the election were agreed upon in the previous meeting and drew attention to the meeting to be hosted by the SP on March 6.

Democrat Party (DP) leader Gültekin Uysal also shared a written statement and announced that the Nation Alliance will continue its path with the same determination that has been continued for 18 months. 

In a written statement made by the other coalition partner DEVA Party, "No political party has been forced into an attitude that the political stance and party bases would not accept. It is clear that in such a working procedure based on mutual respect, there will be no imposition of ideas to the partners."

"Accusatory statements that do not reflect courtesy and truth and are not based on common sense," the DEVA Party’s statement added.

The Future Party statement signed by Ahmet Davutoğlu emphasized that the party “stands behind the previous signatures.” The statement emphasized that no party has been forced to adopt a certain position, and all decisions have been reached through consensus. 

Akşener publicly rejected Kılıçdaroğlu's presidential candidacy despite other parties in the alliance agreed upon him, saying his candidacy is being imposed on the İYİ Party.

Akşener said she was supporting CHP mayors İmamoğlu and Yavaş as candidates amid polls that indicate they could perform better against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

"İYİ Party has been forced to an imposition in a grabbing way, and forced to make a choice between death and malaria," Akşener said, referring to Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu.

She called Yavaş and İmamoğlu to take on the role and nominate themselves, but both mayors once again announced their support for CHP leader.

CHP, İYİ Party, Felicity Party (SP) and Democrat Party (DP) founded the Nation Alliance prior to the 2018 elections. Later, Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party and Future Party joined the alliance.