Kemal Kilicdaroglu pledges to end Erdogan-era 'madness'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Mar 19:08

Six opposition parties agree to support Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the face of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the upcoming presidential elections.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the pro-secular, center-left Republican People's Party after a six-party alliance nominated him as its common candidate to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara, Turkey, March 6, 2023 (AP)

Kemal Kilicdaroglu became the main opposition leader who will face Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the upcoming presidential elections after the heads of six opposition parties united.

On Tuesday, Kilicdaroglu pledged to "end this madness" and make Turkey a peaceful nation where its various communities can coexist.

The opposition includes the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara, both of whom polls indicate have a stronger likelihood of defeating Erdogan.

Kilicdaroglu also received vital support from a nationalist party, which can erode Erdogan's more conservative base of support.

"Today, we are very close to overthrowing the throne of the oppressors," Kilicdaroglu told his party during his last parliamentary address, as he referenced almost two decades of Erdogan's presidency.

Kilicdaroglu added that "together, we will end this madness."

It is worth noting that the next election is largely regarded as Turkey's most important since its establishment as a post-Ottoman republic 100 years ago.

Turkish 'Good Party' not to support Erdogan in event of 2nd Round

A spokesperson for the Good Party's leader Turhan Comez said on Monday that the Good Party does not intend to support Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the event that presidential elections enter their second round.

The party's leader Meral Aksener said on March 3 that the Good Party is considering a full withdrawal from the opposition after stating that the alliance no longer reflected the real interests of the Turkish people.

The clash occurred because the Good party wanted to discuss the candidacies of Istanbul and Ankara mayors, Ekrem Imamoglu and Mansur Yavas, while the five remaining parties of the opposition alliance agreed to propose the candidacy of Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP).

"I am sorry to say that as of yesterday, the Table of Six has lost its ability to reflect the will of the nation in its decisions," Aksener said after meeting her party delegates on Friday.

The term "Table of Six" refers to talks that have been ongoing among parties of the opposition since February 2022.

During an interview for HalkTV on Monday, Comez said, "If the second round of the presidential election takes place, we will gather all support against Erdogan," noting that Aksener had no plans of being the opposition's candidate herself and that the Good Party has nothing against Kilicdaroglu's candidacy.

When asked to comment on Aksener's statements on "a playing table" and "a notary's office," Comez clarified that the politician referred to an alliance between Erdogan's party and the Nationalist Movement Party instead of an opposition alliance.

The elections are anticipated to be the most polarized this year, determining the fate of 85 million citizens in the nation of 3 continents: Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.