Turkey’s main opposition leader, the joint presidential candidate of an opposition bloc of six parties, has said he will be Turkey’s next president, prepare the country for the next generation of leaders, “put the country back on track” and then go into retirement.
Republican People’s Party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu released a video on Twitter late on Monday in which he said that unseating Turkey’s current president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was the “easiest” among the goals of their opposition bloc, known as the Nation Alliance.
Birleşeceğiz ve kazanacağız. Ama kime karşı? pic.twitter.com/iqmaxl1aUv
— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) March 20, 2023
He added that the bloc’s real goal was to create the conditions that would build a competitive Turkey.
“So, the main issue that should unite us all is this: Competing with the world, winning and getting what we deserve. Turks, Kurds, Sunnis, Alevis, [women] who wear headscarves and those who don’t, leftists and rightists should unite in this common [goal],” Kılıçdaroğlu said.
The CHP leader continued to say that as the Nation Alliance, they would strengthen the community, give Turks back the joy of life, eliminate the disadvantages faced by some groups, ensure that the government’s investments are made in the right places and bring financial and democratic stability to the country.
“In short, we will put our country back on track so that the leaders [coming] after us will have stable ground on which they can tread safely. … And then I will retire to take care of my grandchildren,” he vowed.
Without mentioning the name of the New Welfare Party (YRP), one of the smaller parties in Turkey, Kılıçdaroğlu also said the party recently demanded, while discussing terms for joining the People’s Alliance led by Erdoğan, that the president repeal Law No. 6284 for protection of the family and the prevention of violence against women.
He argued that the “real target” of this move was conservative young women in Turkey who wear headscarves and that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its allies want to “oppress” and “control” these young women.