Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Opinion
  • Columns
  • Op-Ed
  • Reader's Corner
  • Editorial

Turkish opposition's 2023 calculations

by Burhanettin Duran

May 20, 2021 - 12:05 am GMT+3
A general view of Istanbul seen from the metropolis' iconic Galata Tower amid the COVID-19 spread, Turkey, April 23, 2021. (Photo by Getty Images)
A general view of Istanbul seen from the metropolis' iconic Galata Tower amid the COVID-19 spread, Turkey, April 23, 2021. (Photo by Getty Images)
by Burhanettin Duran May 20, 2021 12:05 am
RECOMMENDED
People shop and wait at a bus stop next to a campaign poster of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) chair and presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance, reading "poverty will end" ahead of on May 28 presidential runoff, Istanbul, Türkiye, May 22, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Inconsistent policies of Turkish opposition ahead runoff

TÜRKIYE-ELECTIONS

Opposition leaders Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and Meral Akşener of the Good Party (IP) continue to call for an early election, whenever they feel like it.

Although the People’s Alliance of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) repeatedly said that the election will take place as scheduled, the opposition remains adamant.

Their persistence is rooted in the need to talk about elections as a means to keep a range of opposition parties with different ideological backgrounds united.

After all, it costs the opposition absolutely nothing to call (or to set dates) for an early election that won’t happen anyway.

Let us recall that Akşener at one point claimed that Turkey would hold an early election in June – never mind that it wasn’t true. Opposition leaders will just come up with a new date to keep the campaign going.

Their actual concern is related to the alliances and presidential candidates that will contest the 2023 election. Opposition leaders frequently talk about those issues, as they attempt to create fertile ground for all their potential plans.

There was a time when they talked about the possibility of launching a third alliance – led by the IP or the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

More recently, Akşener proposed a five-party alliance, consisting of the CHP, IP, Felicity Party (SP), Future Party (GP) and the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) that excludes the HDP.

Around the same time, DEVA Chairperson Ali Babacan’s claim that Turkey lost five years due to the opposition’s failure to endorse former President Abdullah Gül in 2018 was being discussed.

Babacan, who revealed that he was “at the heart of” the opposition campaign whilst serving as an AK Party parliamentarian, attempts to keep the possibility of a joint presidential bid alive.

Still, it seems unlikely that the opposition will actually settle on Gül (or anyone similar), given that the CHP has been emboldened by its victory in Istanbul.

In this regard, Babacan’s remarks and Kılıçdaroğlu's call on opposition leaders to unite around his plan for an “augmented parliamentary system” have similar objectives.

Electoral alliance?

There is also talk about an electoral alliance, whereby cabinet positions will be allocated to opposition leaders ahead of the next election.

Indeed, some CHP politicians have recently laid the groundwork for an official partnership with the HDP by speculating that one or two HDP politicians may be offered cabinet positions.

In truth, that proposal was originally made by Selahattin Demirtaş, HDP’s former chairperson: “There will be a joint presidential candidate and three vice presidents. We will get a vice president and three ministries.”

Opposition leaders will presumably decide whether to cooperate in the first or second rounds based on opinion polls.

Likewise, the ongoing debate over Kılıçdaroğlu's potential candidacy is a tactical move intended to strengthen the CHP’s hand at the negotiating table. It was designed to encourage the IP to stomach a partnership with the HDP.

It is to be expected that Kılıçdaroğlu would resort to PR stunts to boost the credibility of his potential bid.

The CHP chairperson may also have been encouraged by the idea of allocating cabinet positions to opposition leaders.

If all opposition parties field their own candidates in the first round of the presidential election, the CHP candidate will probably finish second.

As such, Kılıçdaroğlu may think he has a shot in the second round by auctioning off cabinet positions.

Still, my sense is that Kılıçdaroğlu's potential candidacy is a ploy to stop Akşener from running, to get her to stomach the HDP and to get her to endorse a joint presidential candidate.

Unrealistic or not

As we get closer to the election, smaller parties like DEVA and the GP are expected to warm up to proposals and put their ambitions on ice until the first election after 2023.

It is simply unrealistic for these movements to dream of coming to power when up against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. They have made it abundantly clear that they are prepared to stand under the CHP’s umbrella to chase that dream.

Their statements and bargaining have already revealed that intention. Ironically, they take credit for AK Party’s accomplishments, without realizing that they stand to be wiped out under the current circumstances.

Here’s the current situation: The opposition prepares for the 2023 presidential election with a hybrid model. Their plan is to get their candidate in the Presidential Palace by allocating cabinet positions to various opposition parties.

They call for a return to parliamentarism and hope to defeat Erdoğan with the broadest possible coalition.

About the author
Burhanettin Duran is General Coordinator of SETA Foundation and a professor at Social Sciences University of Ankara. He is also a member of Turkish Presidency Security and Foreign Policies Council.
RECOMMENDED
People shop and wait at a bus stop next to a campaign poster of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) chair and presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance, reading "poverty will end" ahead of on May 28 presidential runoff, Istanbul, Türkiye, May 22, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Inconsistent policies of Turkish opposition ahead runoff

TÜRKIYE-ELECTIONS
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    turkish politics turkish opposition 2023 elections
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    U.S. President Joe Biden (C) gestures as he and Hunter Biden (L) watch fireworks from the Truman Balcony of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 2022. (EPA Photo)

    Hunter Biden's alleged iCloud leak exposes inappropriate content

    hunter-biden
    Mayan pyramid and ruins in the famous Tikal National Park, Guatemala. (Getty Images Photo)

    Scientists discover 417 Mayan cities in Guatemala's forested area

    mayan-city

    Seed of modern Turkish diplomacy in China: Nanjing city

    Nanjing

    Turkish Airlines becomes world's 8th-strongest airline brand

    TURKISH-AIRLINES
    No Image
    From viruses to whales: Scientists study climate change at 'end of the world'
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021