Ruling AKP looks to extend alliance with two parties

Duvar English

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) top executives on March 10 visited New Welfare Party (YRP) leader Fatih Erbakan in an attempt to extend the People's Alliance.

After the meeting, AKP deputy chair Binali Yıldırım stated that “We wish that we can walk together in this election (with the New Welfare Party).”

YRP leader Erbakan said that they will consider the offer to join ruling coalition and issue a response as soon as possible. 

The YRP is a right-wing Islamist party coming from the same political tradition with the AKP. YRP leader Fatih Erbakan is the son of the long-time leader of Turkey's Islamic political movement Necmettin Erbakan.

The move came after Turkey's six opposition parties, the Nation Alliance, have announced Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as the presidential candidate.

Moreover, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Önder Aksakal will meet AKP leader and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss extending alliance for the 2023 presidential and general elections. The DSP is a center-left party with a social-democratic program. 

Aksakal previously said they will not support Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy.

Currently, both YRP and DSP have no seats in the parliament.

People’s Alliance (“Cumhur İttifakı”) is the ruling coalition of Turkey, consisting Justice and Development Party (AKP), far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and far-right conservative Great Unity Party (BBP) at the moment.

Turkey will hold presidential and general elections on May 14. Currently, three coalition groups will run in the elections: the ruling People’s Alliance, the main opposition Nation Alliance (“Millet İttifakı”), and the leftist opposition Labor and Freedom Alliance (“Emek ve Özgürlük İttifakı”).

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