Anti-migration leader endorses Kılıçdaroğlu in Turkey's presidential runoff vote

Photo: AA

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Ümit Özdağ, the leader of the anti-refugee Victory (Zafer) Party, has declared his endorsement of the opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the upcoming second round of the presidential election. The decision comes after a series of meetings held following the first round on May 14.

Briefly speaking at a joint press conference at the Victory Party's headquarters, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "For the future of Turkey, every party and party leader has a responsibility. We sat down and talked. We achieved positive results. I thank [Özdağ] and his colleagues."

Speaking after Kılıçdaroğlu, Özdağ asserted that "the return of the 13 million illegal immigrants is Turkey's biggest problem."

"We cannot eliminate poverty by spending 11 billion dollars a year, and we cannot ensure security on the streets. We have decided to support Kılıçdaroğlu in the second round. Congratulations. If you want Turkey to remain Turkey, and if you want to send your children abroad with confidence, support Kılıçdaroğlu and the policies that will send back the 13 million refugees in the elections on May 28."

The Victory Party got 2.23 percent of the parliamentary votes in the May 14 polls. Its presidential candidate, Sinan Oğan, who declared support for incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday, got over 5 percent of the votes in the first round.

After lagging behind Erdoğan in the initial round, Kılıçdaroğlu, who had already pledged to repatriate refugees, intensified his anti-refugee rhetoric in an anticipated attempt to attract nationalist votes. In a recent video, he claimed there were 10 million Syrian refugees in the country, saying that he will send them back if he wins "to protect our daughters."

While neither leader specified the sources of their claims regarding the number of refugees, according to government figures, there are approximately 3.7 million Syrians under temporary protection and over 300,000 Afghan refugees in Turkey. 

Earlier in the day, Özdağ promised in a tweet that "I'll send the refugees back as the interior minister." The leaders did not mention Özdağ's potential role in the government if Kılıçdaroğlu wins the runoff vote.

Such an issue was not discussed in the two leaders' meetings, Faik Öztrak, spokesperson of Kılıçdaroğlu's Republican People's Party (CHP), said later.

Protocol on refugees and "terrorism"

A protocol signed by the two leaders, which was released shortly after the meeting, says the following:

1- The definition and content of Turkish Citizenship, as stated in the first four articles and Article 66 of our Constitution, will be preserved.

2- The national-unitary-secular state established in 1924 will never be compromised. Adherence to these values will be maintained.

3- All refugees and undocumented migrants, especially Syrians, will be repatriated to their countries within a maximum period of one year.

4- Effective and resolute fight will be waged against all terrorist organizations that target the existence and integrity of the state, including FETÖ, PKK, and ISIS. Within the framework of counterterrorism efforts, the practice of appointing state officials instead of local administrative officials with proven legal connections to terrorism will continue in accordance with judicial decisions. There will be no negotiation with terrorism; it will be combated. No political or legal regulations that aim to undermine Turkey's national and unitary state structure will be allowed.

5- Assignments in all units of the state will be based on merit rather than loyalty.

6- A highly effective fight against all forms of corruption within the framework of the law will be conducted.

7- Full consensus has been reached regarding the state's transparency and open conduct towards its citizens.

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— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) May 24, 2023

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