The Turkish Opposition are pressing for Early Elections

Opposition parties in Turkey are pressuring President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to carry early elections after the leader apologized to the country’s business owners for damages they sustained under the 17-day nationwide lockdown since April 29.

“We certainly forgive one another ,” said Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in an interview, but still demanded holding “early and immediate” elections.

The main opposition leader reaffirmed to a female CHP audience that his party was “working as if elections are tomorrow.”

Reiterating determination to save lots of Turkey from the “whirlwind” it fell into, Kılıçdaroğlu said there was “no other solution.”

He also echoed the Turkish youth’s desire to measure during a country without an “oppressive regime.”

In a public address on May 12, which marked the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday, Erdogan acknowledged the hardships facing traders under quarantine and asked all of them for his or her “understanding.”

Meral Akşener, who heads the İYİ Party (Good Party), reminded that elections are the right arena for Erdogan to invite the Turkish people’s forgiveness truly.

“Erdogan, you seem to possess forgotten that politicians invite people’s tolerance through ballot boxes, not from the seat of state , and since you invite a reprieve, don’t be afraid to put the ballot boxes ahead of the people,” tweeted Akşener.

She urged the Turkish president to reconcile with farmers, merchants, and jobless youth who are struggling lately.

Also, future party leader and former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu predicted the downfall of oppressive regimes in Turkey, telling Erdogan that “fit” governance was on the horizon which the people will “smile again.”

Former CHP presidential candidate and dissident Muharrem Ince, for his part, argued that Erdogan’s government couldn’t invite lenience at an equivalent time it’s collecting taxes.

It is worth noting that the Turkish opposition is accusing authorities of not having clear plans to confront the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic and is pressing for early elections.