ANKARA, Turkey: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the opposition CHP party headquarters on Tuesday, marking his first visit in 18 years, following his party’s significant defeat in the March local elections. Erdogan’s last visit to the CHP party was in 2006 when he was serving as prime minister.
The one-and-a-half-hour meeting between Erdogan and CHP leader Ozgur Ozel took place in Ankara, coming more than a month after their initial encounter in May. As a result of the local elections, Ozel’s CHP retained control of major cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, and made gains in some Anatolian provinces previously considered Erdogan’s strongholds.
Following his biggest defeat since his Islamic-rooted AKP party won office in 2002, Erdogan has alluded to a political “softening.” Many attribute the loss to soaring inflation, currently above 75 percent, and the significant devaluation of the lira over the past year.
Erdogan has consistently advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the current one is a “product of the (1980) coup.” However, he requires the support of at least 37 opposition lawmakers to bring a new charter to a referendum. Despite this, Ozel remains skeptical about the need for a new constitution, accusing the government of failing to abide by the existing one.
The recent removal of an elected mayor from his post in the Kurdish-majority southeast was a significant topic during the Erdogan-Ozel meeting. Mehmet Siddik Akis, the mayor of Hakkari from the pro-Kurdish DEM party, was recently jailed on terror-related charges, prompting protests. Authorities accused the DEM party of links to the outlawed PKK Kurdish militants, a charge the party has denied.
Following the March local elections, in which the DEM party took control of 77 towns around Turkey, this was the first time a pro-Kurdish mayor had been removed from office. The DEM party is the third-largest political party in the parliament, following Erdogan’s ruling AKP and the main opposition CHP.
Ozel condemned the removal of the elected mayor, calling for “respect in national will.” He highlighted the importance of adhering to democratic principles and respecting the choices of the electorate. The meeting between Erdogan and Ozel signifies a potential shift in Turkish politics, reflecting the evolving political landscape following the recent elections.
