107 former CHP deputies call on İnce to withdraw from presidential race: ‘Be part of solidarity’

Some 107 former CHP deputies have called on Muharrem İnce to withdraw from the presidential race amid concerns that he is splitting the opposition’s votes and might cause the elections to move to the second round.

Friday March 24 2023 10:02 pm

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Some 107 former Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies have called on Homeland Party leader Muharrem İnce to withdraw from the presidential race in support of CHP leader and opposition Nation Alliance's candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Most of the 107 names worked side by side with İnce in parliament as they were deputies at the party at the same time, according to reporting by ANKA.

“Turkey’s first priority in these days is to get rid of this freakish regime, the one-man system, and especially (President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan dictate as soon as possible, which are swiftly dragging our country to a backward dark structure,” the former CHP deputies' statement said.

“This will be an election in which the choice for either republic or sharia (religious law) will be voted. Therefore, we would like to believe that you will take a decision in becoming a part of this big solidarity that has been formed against those aiming to announce a backward regime in the 100th year of our republic,” the statement further read.

İnce is facing a backlash over concerns that his ambition to run as president might split the opposition’s votes. Earlier this week, he applied to the High Election Board (YSK) and filed his candidacy. Yet he still needs the signatures of at least 100,000 citizens to be nominated as per the law. The YSK set March 27 evening as the deadline for the required signatures, with İnce garnering the support of 76,901 citizens as of March 24 evening.

In the 2018 elections, İnce had run as the CHP’s presidential candidate and received 30 percent of the votes. In the elections scheduled for May 14, he argued that he would garner a support level of 60 percent.