Former CHP chairman urges opposition parties to cooperate with AK Party
The former chairman of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Antalya Deputy Deniz Baykal said that opposition parties should collaborate with the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in forming the new government.
In a TV broadcast on Thursday, Baykal touched upon the meeting he had with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday, and indicated that it would be inaccurate to describe this meeting as a negotiation for a coalition. "I did not go there to negotiate a coalition. I was not authorized to do anything. I am a parliamentarian. We talked about what should be done in this atmosphere of Turkey," he said.Baykal also stressed the fact that two opposition parties besides the CHP arose out of the elections, and concerning the possibilities of a coalition, he remarked, "If the opposition parties can build a coalition between themselves, there is no problem with regards to the program, but there are problems based upon politics of other identities. Therefore, they have to cooperate with the AK Party."
He further said that in the event of snap elections, the year 2015 will be counted as a year of loss, and praised what President Erdoğan said in his Thursday speech regarding the subjects they discussed in the meeting. Baykal said, "I should admit that I felt the need to listen to the speech of the dear president. What has been said is quite natural with regards to that meeting. Those are the main points emphasized there. The dear president's being possessive about these issues is gratifying."
Following the two-hour meeting with President Erdoğan at the foreign minister's residence in Ankara, Baykal told the reporters that he got the impression that Erdoğan is open to any coalition, and he has no objections to opposition parties forming a coalition among themselves. He added "The meeting request was a sudden one, decided in the morning upon the president's request," Baykal said. "We did not discuss the coalition (possibilities), as I do not have any authority for such a meeting."
Sources claim that Erdoğan discussed how the Parliament will function under Baykal, since he will preside over the national assembly until a speaker is elected to parliament.
Baykal, 76, became the oldest elected MP in Parliament after parliamentary elections took place on Sunday.
In a TV broadcast on Thursday, Baykal touched upon the meeting he had with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday, and indicated that it would be inaccurate to describe this meeting as a negotiation for a coalition. "I did not go there to negotiate a coalition. I was not authorized to do anything. I am a parliamentarian. We talked about what should be done in this atmosphere of Turkey," he said.Baykal also stressed the fact that two opposition parties besides the CHP arose out of the elections, and concerning the possibilities of a coalition, he remarked, "If the opposition parties can build a coalition between themselves, there is no problem with regards to the program, but there are problems based upon politics of other identities. Therefore, they have to cooperate with the AK Party."
He further said that in the event of snap elections, the year 2015 will be counted as a year of loss, and praised what President Erdoğan said in his Thursday speech regarding the subjects they discussed in the meeting. Baykal said, "I should admit that I felt the need to listen to the speech of the dear president. What has been said is quite natural with regards to that meeting. Those are the main points emphasized there. The dear president's being possessive about these issues is gratifying."
Following the two-hour meeting with President Erdoğan at the foreign minister's residence in Ankara, Baykal told the reporters that he got the impression that Erdoğan is open to any coalition, and he has no objections to opposition parties forming a coalition among themselves. He added "The meeting request was a sudden one, decided in the morning upon the president's request," Baykal said. "We did not discuss the coalition (possibilities), as I do not have any authority for such a meeting."
Sources claim that Erdoğan discussed how the Parliament will function under Baykal, since he will preside over the national assembly until a speaker is elected to parliament.
Baykal, 76, became the oldest elected MP in Parliament after parliamentary elections took place on Sunday.
Last Update: June 12, 2015 21:06