Turkey's main opposition alliance announces CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu as joint presidential candidate

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Turkey's opposition Nation Alliance on March 6 announced that Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will be the joint candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener, Felicity Party (SP) leader Temel Karamollaoğlu, the Democrat Party (DP) leader Gültekin Uysal, Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party leader Ali Babacan, and Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu met at the SP Headquarters in capital Ankara.

Speaking after the meeting, SP leader Karamollaoğlu announced Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy.

"I consider it a duty to announce the decision we have taken as a result of these meetings. We have decided that Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will be our presidential candidate," Karamollaoğlu said.

Then Kılıçdaroğlu took the floor and said "We set out to bring all the colors of Turkey together on the same table where not a single child goes to bed hungry. Our biggest goal is to carry Turkey to fruitful, peaceful and joyful days."

75-year-old Kılıçdaroğlu announced that other five leaders in the alliance will become vice presidents.

"As the Nation Alliance, we will rule Turkey through consultation and consensus. As the chairs of the political parties in the alliance, we have agreed on the roadmap change the system to the strengthened parliamentary system. We have concluded 11 clauses. During the transition period to the parliamentary system, the esteemed leaders of our other parties, which are included in the Nation Alliance, will be Vice Presidents," Kılıçdaroğlu said.

"The door of the Nation Alliance is open to everyone who shares the dream of a common Turkey. We greet our 85 million people wholeheartedly, regardless of belief, thought, ideology or identity. Today is the first month anniversay of the earthquake disaster. I wish God's mercy on our lost citizens," he concluded.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are expected to be held on May 14. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan previously announced that he will run for the office for the third time.

11 clauses of the Nation Alliance are as follows:

1 - In the transition process, we will govern Turkey through consultation and consensus, within the framework of the constitution, law, separation of powers, balance and supervision principles, in line with the principles and objectives of the Strengthened Parliamentary System and the reference texts we have agreed upon.

2 - Constitutional amendments regarding the transition to the Strengthened Parliamentary System will be completed and put into effect as soon as possible by the structure of the Parliament that emerged in the general election.

3 - During the transition period, the leaders of the parties included in the Nation Alliance will be vice presidents.

4 - The distribution of ministries will be determined according to the number of deputies elected by the political parties forming the Nation Alliance in the elections. Each of the alliance parties will be represented by at least one minister in the cabinet. Policy committees and offices within the Presidency, which were established in parallel with the ministries, will be abolished.

5 - Appointment and dismissal of ministers shall be made by the President in agreement with the chairs of the political party to which ministers belong.

6 - In the transition process, the president will use their executive power and duty in accordance with the principles of participation, consultation and consensus.

7 - The distribution of powers and duties to the Presidential Cabinet (Vice Presidents and Ministers) will be determined by the Presidential decree to be issued within the framework of the Constitution and laws.

8 - The President will take decisions in consensus with the leaders of the parties included in the Nation Alliance on the renewal of the elections, the declaration of the State of Emergency, the national security policies, the presidential decrees and on high-level appointments.

9 - Mechanisms will be established to coordinate the co-operation of legislative activities during the transition process.

10 - With the completion of the transition to the strengthened parliamentary system, the President's political party membership, if any, will come to an end.

11 - After the transition to the strengthened parliamentary system, the 13th President and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey will complete their mandate without the need for a new election.

12 - Istanbul and Ankara Metropolitan Mayors (Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş) will be appointed as vice presidents with defined duties and at the time deemed appropriate by the President.

Thousands of people were in front of the SP headquarters to support Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy.

Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy was announced after the political turmoil of the last few days.

İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener on March 3 announced her departure from the opposition Nation Alliance due to CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s expected candidacy for the 2023 presidential elections, one day after the alliance's last meeting. She said that she would be in the alliance if CHP's Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş would be instead nominated for the role, adding Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy was being imposed on their party.

Five opposition party leaders of the Nation Alliance on March 4 met once again without Akşener.

On March 6, İmamoğlu and Yavaş visited Akşener at the İYİ Party headquarters. After the meeting, İYİ Party spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu announced that Akşener will participate in the Nation Alliance leaders meeting on the same day and will return to the alliance if İmamoğlu and Yavaş are included in the new cabinet as vice presidents.

Yavaş and İmamoğlu also reportedly participated at the Nation Alliance meeting which is taking place at the Felicity Party headquarters.