The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) revealed Saturday its election promises ahead of June 24 elections with economic support programs being at the forefront.
Held under the slogan "Strong MHP, strong Turkey in the new period," the event at Ankara Sports Complex also presented the party's candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections to party members and the press.
Chairman Devlet Bahçeli began his speech in the event by saying that the People's Alliance, formed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the MHP, will lay the groundwork for future Turkey.
Reminding the tragic events that Turkey has experienced in the latest years, including attacks by the PKK and its Syrian offshoot People's Protection Units (YPG), Daesh, the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) terrorist groups and the July 15, 2016 coup attempt launched by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Bahçeli said that the MHP was in a position to review its policies and stance to counter off attacks targeting Turkey.
He added that Turkey's government system also needed to be revised and reformed in the face of risks. "Because urgent decisions were needed in the state of crisis and chaos. Unfruitful and shallow debate needed to be prevented. It was necessary for the system not to choke, intervene in problems in an active condition," Bahçeli said, explaining the MHP's support to the presidential system reform adopted in a referendum on April 16, 2017. He said MHP will work to the end for this system to settle in and institutionalize, adding that the elections were brought forward to implement the new system as global and regional uncertainties targeting Turkey have increased.
Regarding the recent economic worries and the tumbling of Turkish lira, Bahçeli said it was a move from speculators trying to affect the outcome of elections by artificially increasing the currency rates. "The Republic of Turkey was not founded by foreign currencies, it will not fall with foreign currencies," he said.
The opposition, which formed the Nation Alliance ahead of the vote, was also harshly criticized by Bahçeli who accused them of cooperating with the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and PKK, and creating an artificial union. He also said that he is ready to reconcile with nationalists who regret leaving the MHP and admit their mistakes. Bahçeli was referring to those who departed the MHP after a heated leadership race and founded the Good Party (IP).
Bahçeli then announced the MHP's election promises presented under the tagline "National Revival, Blessed Uprising," calling for reforms to bring economic relief to farmers, retired people and families of disabled, martyred people and veterans. He began his words with a general amnesty excluding terrorism, child abuse, rape and femicide victims that he proposed last week but was rejected by the AK Party.
The MHP election manifesto emphasized five topics, including "Smart state and public administration," "justice," "combatting corruption," "multifaceted and multi-dimensional foreign policy" and "industrialization and SMEs."
Craftsmen, artisans and farmers were specifically targeted by the party's economic pledges. A significant promise by the MHP was to revise the law on shopping malls and measures against chain stores and municipality businesses to protect shop owners. Tax-free fuel for the transport business and farmers was also pledged by the party.
The MHP pledged early retirement for veterans, employment for the children of martyred people and an increase in salaries of their parents.
A "family support aid" fixed as half of the minimum wage for one unemployed person in each family was another significant promise. The party vowed to remove university entrance exams, introduce interest-free education loans and free healthcare for youngsters until employment.
The MHP also pledged to remove taxes on minimum wage or part of salaries equaling to the minimum wage.
Bahçeli said that the party will work in the upcoming legislative term to realize these pledges.
The party announced its long-term strategic goal to bring Turkey to the position of "Global Power and Leading Country" till 2053.