President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said there are no legal obstacles in way of his presidential candidacy for the upcoming elections, strongly rejecting the opposition bloc's recent statement that he cannot run.
"There are no legal obstacles in way of my candidacy for the 2023 elections. It is in accordance with the law and the constitution and the opposition bloc's statements claiming I can't run for elections attempt to muddy the waters," Erdoğan told a joint broadcast on TRT on Wednesday.
He also criticized the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for stealing the slogan of late Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, who was executed by them.
"They have no sense of shame. They steal the slogan of Menderes, who was executed by them," the president said, adding that Menderes' "Enough! Let the people have a say" slogan was composed directly in response to CHP's single-party "fascism." He continued by saying that respecting the people's will is not possible solely by chanting slogans and unfurling banners on buildings.
"You need to first learn how to respect the will of the people," Erdoğan said.
In an earlier speech on Wednesday, the president accused the opposition of copying him, and criticized them for their lack of vision.
