Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairperson and presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has sharpened his tone on migrants days after the first round of presidential and parliamentary elections in Türkiye, vowing to send all migrants back to their countries if elected in the May 28 runoff vote.
“Instead of presenting a new electoral project consistent with his previous program, Kılıçdaroğlu began a very concerning propaganda campaign targeting Syrian refugees in Türkiye,” Ahmad Baccora, a member of the Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SMDK), told Daily Sabah.
“Kılıçdaroğlu’s recent allegations that the number of refugees reaches 10 million and that Syrians pose a threat to the Turkish economy and culture are unfounded and merely an attempt to mislead the Turkish people,” Baccora underlined, warning that categorizing refugees as potential security threats dehumanizes and criminalizes them.
“Xenophobic rhetoric can undermine social cohesion and increase political polarization,” he continued.
Baccora also pointed out that this rhetoric negatively affected the CHP’s reputation and added: “The party’s policies must embody a responsible and informed approach that respects human rights and international law and avoids dangerous rhetoric that might further polarize society or exploit vulnerable groups such as refugees.”
“The CHP must abandon hate speech and human rights violations as political tactics and return to the values and standards the Turkish people hold dear.”
Kılıçdaroğlu, the soft-mannered joint candidate of a six-party opposition alliance, had led a highly positive and uniting campaign. Many of the rallies of his pro-secular main opposition party CHP had ended with Kılıçdaroğlu making a heart shape with his hands.
This week, however, the 74-year-old politician hardened his rhetoric in an apparent effort to appeal to nationalist voters, including those who voted for a third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Oğan.
“Erdogan! You did not protect the borders or the honor of the country. You brought in more than 10 million refugees,” Kilicdaroglu said in an address at his party’s headquarters. “You have turned your citizens into refugees. I declare that I will send all refugees back home as soon as I come to power. Period.”
Baccora hailed Ankara’s efforts regarding Syrians and the Syrian crisis for the past two decades. “Türkiye believes a positive relationship with the Syrian community is a Turkish national security interest, and it has dealt with the Syrians accordingly,” he said.
He emphasized that the Turkish people have shown great awareness and rejected the hateful propaganda that has seeped into political discussions. “They ousted the Victory Party (ZP) and its ATA Alliance from Parliament to send a message confirming their refusal to be led by the language of fear and hate and showed their firm commitment to universal human values and the noble morals of their society.”
According to official figures, Türkiye hosts the world’s largest refugee population of around 4 million.
In his election campaign, Kılıçdaroğlu had said they had plans to send Syrians in Türkiye back home within two years after making a deal with Syrian leader Bashar Assad for their safety and coordinating with the U.N.
Baccora reiterated that returning Syrians forcefully would be a breach of international laws.
“It would also shatter the elevated image and brand that Türkiye has built for itself as a developed country and an active member of the international community.”
Unlike Kılıçdaroğlu, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has advocated to better the situation in northern Syria, contribute to the stalled political process in the country and encourage voluntary and safe returns of Syrians. According to government figures, around 500,000 have returned in this manner.
“Despite the significant hardships faced by Syrians, they find themselves navigating between two distinct narratives: one filled with propaganda, threats, and intimidation from the opposition group, and the other presenting reassurances and promises of security and protection until suitable conditions for their safe return to Syria are established, as propagated by the Turkish President,” Baccora concluded.
