Five political parties declare support to İhsanoğlu’s presidential bid

The leaders of five political parties: the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Democratic Left Party (DSP), Democrat Party (DP) and Independent Turkey Party (BTP) met on July 2 and announced a joint declaration of support for Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu’s presidential candidacy.

The True Path Party (DYP) was initially among those parties, but withdrew its support for Ä°hsanoğlu in a written statement on July 2 over a controversial arrangement regarding the DP. The Great Union Party (BBP) did not participate at the gathering, given they have not decided on whether to give support to Ä°hsanoğlu. 

In the declaration, they pledged support to İhsanoğlu as the presidential candidate, as the opposition parties “that aim to reinforce the separation of powers and use a language of love and peace instead of one of hatred and violence.”

The declaration also stated they have full confidence that Ä°hsanoğlu will enhance Turkey’s worldwide reputation again, combine the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s principles and core values of the republic with the Turkish people’s spiritual values, will adhere to principles of liberalism and laicism and gender equality, will seek different solutions to Turkey’s problems and be an impartial president representing all. 

Madımak must be a ‘museum of an objective lesson’

Meanwhile, İhsanoğlu has pledged to make Madımak Hotel, where some 30 Alevi intellectuals were staying for the Pir Sultan Abdal Festival were killed in 1993 after a group of radical Islamists torched the hotel, a “museum of an objective lesson.”

In commemoration of the Sivas...