MHP chairman to meet party officials to prepare 2019 election roadmap

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli will meet his party's district heads, deputies and members of the Central Executive Board (MYK) in a camp in the capital Ankara's Kızılcahamam district with the aim of preparing a road map for the 2019 elections.

In the camp, which will be held on April 21, Bahçeli is expected to discuss strategies for the elections and recent political issues. The opposition MHP has already completed its 12th Ordinary Grand Congress and its efforts for the upcoming local elections are expected to accelerate.

Bahçeli called on members of the Presidency Council last week to prepare the party's election strategy. In order to select candidates for municipalities, reports say the current municipalities' performances have been evaluated and priority will be given to current mayors for candidacies. It is has been reported that the MHP has been examining whether mayors have fulfilled their promises during their terms. In relation to the issue, MHP Deputy Secretary-General Mustafa Kalaycı stated that party organizations have been informed about the preparations for elections and added that the MHP considers organizations' opinions regarding candidacies for mayors, aldermen and members of provincial councils.

As the MHP has formed an alliance with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for the presidential elections, it has also been said that the alliance might reflect on local elections as well. The MHP chair previously announced that he will not run for presidency and will support President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a candidate. In order to have a legal basis for the alliance, a 26-article bill passed in Parliament allowing parties to form alliances. Following the ratification of the alliance law, other political parties have also accelerated their efforts to forge alliances.