Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked the ultra-nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan on Tuesday for his support ahead of the second round of next Sunday’s presidential election. Ogan came third in the 14th election, and thus came out of the second round where Erdoğan, who received 49.5 percent of the vote, would face opposition. Kemal Kilicdaroglu (44.9%).
Ogan, who appeared before the press in Ankara, which was broadcast live on NTV, said on Monday, “We decided to support Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the second round.”
In an interview with TRT Haber television channel, Erdoğan explained that the support was not a result of negotiations, emphasizing that both politicians shared it. common points in your program. Sinan knows very well our clear position in the fight against terrorism and the survival of the homeland, especially in relations with the Turkish world.
“We’re not doing anything compromise. This did not happen. “It is not possible,” said Erdogan, stressing that “this union of forces will benefit the nation and the country.”
During their meeting with Organ, both politicians discussed the process of r’s repatriation.Syrian refugees He determined the number of Syrians returning to their homes in recent months as 450 thousand. “We are working to ensure their safe return,” Erdogan said.
key player
Expelled from the right-wing MHP party and now allied with Erdogan’s ruling AKP, ultranationalist little-known Ogan garnered 2.8 million votes (5.2%) in the first round, making him the key player in the second election. history.
While it is far from certain that Ogan’s voters will follow his advice as a bloc, their overt support for Erdogan makes the current president’s victory almost certain, given the subtle difference that separates him from power. absolute majority.
The coalition of parties led by Kılıçdaroğlu failed to win the parliamentary majority in the parliamentary elections held on the same day, on 14 May, from the alliance consisting of AKP, Erdoğan’s Islamist party and MHP.
The opposition’s failure to take control of Parliament was one of Ogan’s arguments, because if Kılıçdaroğlu became head of State and Government, he would have a hard time running a country that had Parliament against him.
Also, Ogan was happy to persuade both candidates to pledge a strong policy against Syrian immigrants and refugees.
Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, received the support of the tiny Justice Party, one of the two nationalist formations that formed the ATA alliance, which supported Ogan in the presidential elections on Monday and received 2.4 percent of the vote in the parliamentary elections.
With just 0.2 percent of the total vote, El Adalet received only 0.2 percent of the vote, while her partner, the far-right Zafer (Victoria), has not yet clarified her position, but announced a meeting with AKP leaders on Monday.