Turkey's center-right parties 'to form alliance for elections'
Turkey's center-right parties are reportedly preparing to form an alliance to challenge the People's Alliance consisting of the ruling AKP and its nationalist ally MHP in the next elections. Contrary to the Nation Alliance of the last elections, the main opposition CHP won't be included in the alliance formed by these nationalist-conservative parties, Birgün reported on Jan. 23.
Duvar English
The center-right parties of Turkey are reportedly preparing to form a new alliance for the next elections, as the possibility of holding snap polls continues to be discussed among politicians.
The alliance is set to include Good (İYİ) Party, Future Party, Felicity Party and Democrat Party, as well as the party that will be founded by former deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, daily Birgün reported on Jan. 23.
The bloc was formed to challenge the long-time alliance between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is called the People's Alliance, the daily also said.
In the last two elections, the People's Alliance contested against the Nation Alliance, which included the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), İYİ Party, Felicity Party and the Democrat Party. The latter alliance was also backed by the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), although it wasn't officially a part of it.
The next elections are set to be held in 2023, but the possibility of holding snap elections withing 15 to 20 months is also being discussed behind closed doors.
Although CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu urges the continuation of Nation Alliance, the center-right parties are reportedly looking forward to establish new blocs with the demand to return to an enhanced parliamentary system.
Sources from the aforementioned nationalist-conservative parties told Birgün that excluding the CHP from their alliance would lead to getting more votes from the supporters of the AKP and the MHP. They also said that such a center-right alliance would gain over 20 percent of the votes if elections were today.
The attempts to form an alliance are still in very early stages, the daily said, adding that Kılıçdaroğlu will be thoroughly briefed on the issue to make sure that relations with the CHP are not harmed.
The most challenging issue revolves around finding a joint candidate for the presidential elections, Birgün said.
According to the daily, if the center-right parties won't be able to agree on a joint candidate, they will be free to nominate their own candidates separately. They will also reportedly try to proceed in finding a joint candidate in cooperation with the CHP.