Opposition MHP expects 65 percent ‘yes' vote in referendum


Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Semih Yalçın said that he expects 65 percent of the votes to be "yes" in the referendum in accordance with the sociological division of the Turkish nation. Semih Yalçın pointed out on Thursday that the Turkish nation has two sociological segments, one of which makes up 65 percent of Turkish society politically and pertains to the right wing, whereas 35 percent is left wing and the referendum results will likely be in accordance with this division.Regarding the position of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) against the constitutional change, Yalçın indicated, "The CHP does not engage in politics. Its position increases tension in Turkey, and its discourses lead to chaos and civil war. This is not Atatürk's CHP." Yalçın also stated that the CHP should engage with the deputies within the party that look like CHP-supporters but are close to the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).As a response to criticism saying that the presidential system leads to a two-party system in which the MHP will likely survive, Yalçın stated that the CHP has cited examples from the American political system. However, the new Turkish system is not associated with the American system. "The U.S. does not have two separate elections," he explained.Meanwhile, MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli announced the road maps for the referendum process for his party's provincial organizations. Regarding the MHP's individual efforts for the referendum campaign, Devlet Bahçeli stated that if the compulsory situation rises, the MHP will be able to cooperate with political parties with the same preferences during the referendum process, according to the circular letter issued by the MHP leader. Commenting on Bahçeli's remarks about taking joint steps with the Justice and Development Party, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said during a press conference in Malta on Friday: "We have a common aim with the MHP. We are working together on the same campaign. If needed we can do joint activities."