Muharrem Ince, a former opposition presidential candidate and chairman of the Memleket Party, has rejoined Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), having left the party in 2021.
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| Muharrem Ince rejoins Turkey’s main opposition CHP Muharrem Ince rejoins Turkey’s main opposition CHP |
İnce’s reinduction ceremony was held Tuesday (June 24) at a CHP group meeting at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara.
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel announced İnce’s return to the party in a speech, saying İnce’s Memleket Party had been dissolved.
In his speech following Özel’s remarks announcing his return, İnce echoed a opposition refrain popular since the March 19th jailing of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu: “There is no liberation alone; it’s either all of us or none of us.”
A post on Muharrem İnce’s social media account from earlier in the day included a note from İmamoğlu, written by the mayor from prison.
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| Prior to his 2021 exit, İnce was a major figure in Turkey’s largest opposition party. He ran as the CHP’s presidential candidate in 2018 general elections, suffering a landslide 20-point defeat to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in an election that also included jailed pro-Kurdish opposition leader Selahattin Demirtaş, who ran as a candidate from prison. In 2021, İnce attempted unsuccessfully to take over CHP leadership from then-chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, culminating in his departure. İnce’s Memleket Party was formed several months later. In March 2023, İnce announced his candidacy in Turkey’s presidential elections in a move that many feared would split the opposition vote, allowing for the reelection of Erdoğan. Shortly before the election took place in mid-May, İnce announced his withdrawal from the race. |
Who is Muharrem İnce?
Prior to his 2021 exit, İnce was a major figure in Turkey’s largest opposition party. He ran as the CHP’s presidential candidate in 2018 general elections, suffering a landslide 20-point defeat to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in an election that also included jailed pro-Kurdish opposition leader Selahattin Demirtaş, who ran as a candidate from prison.
In 2021, İnce attempted unsuccessfully to take over CHP leadership from then-chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, culminating in his departure. İnce’s Memleket Party was formed several months later.
In March 2023, İnce announced his candidacy in Turkey’s presidential elections in a move that many feared would split the opposition vote, allowing for the reelection of Erdoğan. Shortly before the election took place in mid-May, İnce announced his withdrawal from the race.
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
