Former presidential candidate Muharrem İnce 'planning to found new political party'

Duvar English

Former presidential candidate and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) member Muharrem İnce is reportedly working on founding a new political party.

Journalist Saygı Öztürk and pro-government columnist Abdülkadir Selvi on Aug. 4 said that İnce told his close circle that he will have found the party by the new year's.

The party will be consisting of fresh faces, Öztürk cited a politician close to İnce as saying, adding that İnce will make the announcement once the party cadres are finalized.

"Our party will have individuals who are experts in their fields and their presence will excite everyone," İnce reportedly said.

İnce's plan to found a new party was first reported by journalist Yalçın Bayer, which was followed by İnce saying that he would make an announcement "when he makes a decision that he believes is for the good of the country."

Bu süreçte bir gazeteye, haber ajansına konuşmadım, açıklama yapmadım. Memleket için doğru olduğuna inandığım bir karar aldığımda kararımı açıklarım. Herkese iyi bayramlar.

— Muharrem İNCE (@vekilince) August 2, 2020

According to Öztürk, CHP officials believe that İnce wouldn't leave the party to found a new one.

When asked about why he felt the need to found a new party, İnce reportedly said, "I'm not happy about the way things are going in Turkey."

"Turkey needs a way out. The CHP can't give people hope in its current form," he reportedly said.

CHP reelects Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as party leader for seventh time