'Let one be Kurdish, one be Alevi,' he had said: First reaction from AKP to Bahçeli's 'vice president' proposal!

The remarks made by MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, the architect of the new peace process, during a meeting with his deputies have become the center of attention.

Journalist İsmail Saymaz reported in his column for Halk TV that the MHP leader said, "Let the president have two deputies; let one be Kurdish and the other be Alevi."

While these words have caused public debate, it was noted that there has been no denial from the MHP.

As the opposition front expressed their reactions to Bahçeli, another reaction came from former AKP deputy Şamil Tayyar.

Tayyar, who strongly criticized Bahçeli's proposal, stated the following:

"Journalist İsmail Saymaz wrote it, MHP did not deny it.

MHP leader Bahçeli: 'Let one of the president's deputies be Kurdish, and one be Alevi.'

This statement is a very problematic and dangerous proposal that will reopen the fault lines of Turkey's unity.

This model, which reminds one of Lebanon where the President is Christian, the Prime Minister is Sunni, the Speaker of Parliament is Shiite, and deputies are divided among sects, would segregate, fragment, and destabilize Turkey.

Distributing duties based on faith and ethnicity is also not a democratic stance.

It is an injustice to Turks, Kurds, and Alevis alike.

This country belongs to all of us.

With merit, effort, performance, and a pluralistic democratic understanding, anyone can be anywhere.

The essential thing is to establish this mechanism.

A Kurd or an Alevi can be President, let alone a deputy. If Kılıçdaroğlu had won, he would have been an Alevi President.

But he would have occupied that office not because he was Alevi, but because he emerged from the ballot box with social consensus.

There have been Presidents of Kurdish origin like İnönü or Özal (though there are different views).

In fact, Cemal Gürsel, who rose to the rank of General and became President after the May 27, 1960 military coup, was a Kurdish Alevi from Hınıs, Erzurum.

But no one read them through their origins.

Our current Vice President, Cevdet Yılmaz, is Zaza.

But what brought him to that position is not his ethnic origin, but his background and experience.

Trying to re-segregate the new and strong social fabric created by uniting the pieces 100 years ago would be a great injustice to this country.

Let us try to fix our shortcomings, but without destroying, breaking, or tearing down."

Journalist İsmail Saymaz wrote it, MHP did not deny it.

MHP leader Bahçeli: 'Let one of the president's deputies be Kurdish, and one be Alevi.'

This statement is a very problematic and dangerous proposal that will reopen the fault lines of Turkey's unity.

The President is Christian, the Prime Minister is Sunni, the Parliament...

— Şamil Tayyar (@samiltayyar27) July 20, 2025

News Source: 12punto