MHP holds camp to evaluate election strategies, possible alliance with AK Party

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) began its party camp on Friday, which will last until Sunday, ahead of the local elections to evaluate preparations and party strategies.

During the camp in the southern province of Antalya, MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli will meet with 81 province heads and 130 mayors to exchange views on party strategies for local elections slated for March 31. While Bahçeli will evaluate reports on the performances of incumbent mayors, MHP Deputy Chairman Sadi Durmaz and other deputy chairmen are expected to make presentations. Bahçeli is also expected to inform party members about recent talks with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on a possible alliance in local elections.

Following the speech, the MHP chairman will attend the opening ceremony of the MHP Antalya province building on the same day.

AK Party and MHP leaders discussed local elections on Wednesday at the presidential residence in the capital Ankara, signaling that an alliance is still on the table for the two parties. Following the meeting, AK Party officials said another meeting is expected to be held between the leaders before a final statement is made on forming an alliance between the AK Party and the MHP. The AK Party Chairman, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday that local elections would top the agenda of the meeting, underlining that this is the expectation of the voter bases of the two parties.

Both leaders have repeatedly and strongly voiced their support for continuing the People's Alliance in Parliament, which was formed for the June 24 elections, but announced that they will not seek a full alliance in the local elections.

Previously, Bahçeli announced that the MHP would participate in the local elections in every electoral district with its own candidates. He said that this decision was based on meetings with deputies, Central Executive Board (MYK) members and provincial chairpersons while stressing that the MHP fully supports continuing the People's Alliance.

The two parties joined forces to form the People's Alliance for the June 24 presidential and parliamentary elections, pushing for an election system reform that paved the way for electoral alliances beforehand.

Since the initial formation of the alliance, both Erdoğan and Bahçeli have been stressing that the People's Alliance was not simply formed to win elections and that its spirit must be protected in the face of threats posed against Turkey's national security.