Turkey’s Islamist YRP leader Erbakan calls for early election

Turkey’s far-right Islamist YRP leader Erbakan, previously an Erdoğan-ally, called for an early election to be held in late 2025 or early 2026, citing the economic conditions.

Thursday September 12 2024 05:57 pm

Duvar English

Turkey’s far-right Islamist New Welfare Party (YRP) leader Fatih Erbakan on Sept. 12 called for an early election, citing the cost of living crisis, Demirören News Agency reported.

During his visit to YRP mayors in Kahramanmaraş province, Erbakan complained about the economic conditions.

“Let’s assume you earn the minimum wage of 17,002 liras. 5,000 liras goes to feeding your children in the school. One school bag costs 1,000 liras. An OECD report says six million children live in poverty in Turkey,” Erbakan said.

“Half of the people of Istanbul cannot buy fruits, vegetables and food products they wanted according to a survey. 17 million people received social assistance last year. One out of four people cannot meet their basic needs with their income and is in need of social assistance. The hunger threshold is 21,000 liras, the poverty threshold is 64,000 liras,” he added.

He also criticized the Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, and said the cost of living increased dramatically after his appointment in mid-2023. “Now they say, 'We will bring inflation down to single digits.' You yourselves increased inflation from 38 to 75 since you arrived. You cannot even keep it constant, let alone single digit, it is increasing even more.”

Erbakan called for a government change. “Without a change in this government, without a new understanding, it is not possible for Turkey to survive. And this depends on an early election as soon as possible. Under these conditions, Turkey and the nation will not be able to survive until 2028. At the end of 2025 or in the spring of 2026, an early election must be held, and this change, which the nation has now clearly expressed, and which was demonstrated with its votes on March 31st (local elections), must be realized.”

The YRP entered the 2023 general elections in an alliance with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and supported Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the presidential election.

After the YRP fielded mayoral candidates in key municipalities for the AKP in the local elections held in March, their alliance ended.

The YRP became the third party nationwide in the elections by garnering more than six percent of the votes. The party gained one metropolitan municipality, 37 districts and 24 towns.