Fatih Erbakan’s outburst against AKP and Erdoğan: ‘We will never be with them again…’

The New Welfare Party (YRP), which acted in concert with the People's Alliance in the May elections, saw its partnership dissolve after demanding 2 metropolitan, 2 provincial, and 35 district municipalities in the local elections.

The YRP won a total of 65 municipalities in the March 31 Local Elections, including the provincial municipalities of Şanlıurfa and Yozgat.

Following the local elections, YRP Chairman Fatih Erbakan—whom AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan began targeting with an increasingly harsh tone and whose party members have recently been transferred to the AKP—sent a message that it is no longer possible for them to walk the same path as the AKP.

"THE PRESIDENT IS WORN OUT"

Erbakan commented on Erdoğan, saying, "The President is tired and worn out; they have nothing left to offer the nation, change is essential."

'THEY SAID DON'T HAND OVER POWER TO THE CHP, WE EXTENDED AN OLIVE BRANCH'

"In 2023, they said, 'Do not hand over power to the CHP'; we extended an olive branch so that both they and the nation could be saved. After the election, they continued with the same old ways, shaking our trust. From now on, we will continue our path independently. We will never be with the AK Party again; a third alliance on the right would receive more votes. Even students at Imam Hatip schools who see the government's practices are becoming deists or atheists," said Fatih Erbakan, criticizing the AKP today for practicing a 'formalistic Islam.'

Responding to questions from T24's Cansu Çamlıbel, here is a summary of Erbakan's statements:

"EVEN IMAM HATIP STUDENTS WHO SEE AK PARTY PRACTICES ARE BECOMING DEISTS"

Today, unfortunately, the government's practices are identical to the practices we criticized during the eras of non-religious governments. There is a distortion here. Young people who see this image decide to become deists or atheists even though they study at Imam Hatip schools. Or, if they wear a headscarf, they take it off. Unfortunately, they have come before society and attained power with an understanding that consists only of outward appearances. But our core values, the principles we actually defend, are not being implemented or put into practice. Therefore, unfortunately, this situation has a serious negative impact on young people.

THE AK PARTY'S ECONOMIC POLICY IS BASED ON UNJUST DISTRIBUTION

The economic policy is entirely based on an unjust distribution. Public resources are being spent on waste under the guise that 'there is no saving on prestige.' In 2018, the public's annual aircraft rental cost was 280 million liras, while this year it has reached 5.5 billion liras. In five years, the government's aircraft rental cost has increased 20-fold. Unfair resource transfers are being made to privileged holding companies. Tenders are awarded behind closed doors through bargaining methods. You look and see that a tunnel built in Turkey was constructed in Korea for one-fifth of the cost. On top of that, tax exemptions are provided to these privileged holding companies. Five holding companies have received tax exemptions 128 times in 10 years. Five of the top 10 holding companies in the world that receive the most public tenders are these holding companies of ours. Resources are being transferred to privileged holding companies, and resources are going to interest. The thing we need to fight against most is ensuring that not a single penny of this country or this nation goes to interest. But this year, 1.25 trillion liras are being paid from the budget for interest. This economic practice has nothing to do with the values that the National View (Millî Görüş) has defended since the time of our late Erbakan Hodja; it is diametrically opposed.

RIGHT-WING ALLIANCE

We prioritize entering with our own presidential candidate. But a 'third way' alternative is always possible in Turkey. Parties that voters characterize as 'right-wing parties' can choose the path of an alliance. There is the IYI Party, DEVA, Future (Gelecek), and Felicity (Saadet). The Great Unity Party (Büyük Birlik Partisi) could also be involved... An alliance consisting of right-wing parties would become a serious alternative for those who vote for the AK Party reluctantly.

THE REASON FOR THE INTERVENTION ON FEBRUARY 28 WAS THAT ERBAKAN WAS SEEN AS AN OBSTACLE TO THE US

When I describe February 28, I give the example of Saudi Arabia. If religiosity is a problem, if the headscarf is a problem, if public officials coming to work with long beards is a problem, then Saudi Arabia and America should be having very serious problems. But we never see Saudi Arabia and America having such problems. In Turkey, for example, the reason the iftar dinner at the Prime Minister's residence was made into an issue was not because Erbakan's wife or daughter wore a headscarf or were religious. The real issue was that Erbakan Hodja was an obstacle to the execution of plans in the Middle East.

("If you look at it that way, Ecevit was also an obstacle, but he was not subjected to a military coup threat?" in response to the question) The late Ecevit was a person with left-wing views. His wife did not wear a headscarf, and he was not an Imam Hatip graduate. But he also had to be sidelined. For the plan to proceed, Turkey also had to be redesigned. Now, unfortunately, we see that these plans have been carried out as a result of the 22-year AK Party government. The situation in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt is obvious, the situation in Libya is obvious, unfortunately. Jerusalem was declared the capital of Israel. Israel continues its occupations and settlements rapidly.

ERDOĞAN BORROWED MORE THAN HE WOULD HAVE FROM THE IMF

He borrowed much more than he would have from the IMF and at much higher interest rates. Unfortunately, the central government debt has exceeded 8 trillion liras; while there was a state debt of around 130 billion dollars when they arrived, it is now approaching 250 billion dollars. The economic management they brought with great hope after May 14, let alone improving things, cannot even keep the data stable; it is getting worse. Inflation rose from 38 percent to 75 percent. Fuel rose from 20 liras to 45 liras. The exchange rate rose from 18 liras to 34 liras. The cost of living increased. Interest rates rose from 8.5 percent to 50 percent. On the other hand, the D-8 has remained idle during the 22-year AK Party government. The establishment of the D-8 was important for preventing the plans of America and Israel in the Middle East from being carried out.

When we look at all of this, we see that February 28 succeeded in terms of the true goals of foreign powers. In other words, the steps taken by the late Erbakan Hodja regarding sharing and management during his time as Prime Minister actually caused February 28. But back then, they showed it with some theatrical performances like "Secularism is being lost, Sharia is coming."

(If I am not misunderstanding your words, you are saying that the Justice and Development Party is also following a line that reinforces this process, which you say started on February 28. Is that correct?)

Correct.

2023 ELECTIONS

(Did you shelve your harsh criticisms of the AKP in the 2023 elections just for four parliamentary seats? You always criticized the Six-Party Table as an 'alliance of the unlike.' Wasn't the People's Alliance, which brought the MHP and HÜDA-PAR side by side, another 'alliance of the unlike'?)

We left the alliance, the others are continuing, but we don't know what developments will bring. Of course, there is this: In the days leading up to May 14, people whose opinions we value and our people told us, "You have a critical vote. If a CHP government comes to power with your support, a CHP President will take office in Turkey after many years, by your hand. These people are your father's students. Many of them grew up in the National Youth Foundation (Milli Gençlik Vakfı). They perhaps have more memories with Erbakan Hodja than you do. After all, we were all together until 15-20 years ago. If you were to put forward your demands on the issues you criticize, and if an agreement were reached, the AK Party administrators would be rid of their mistakes, and a job beneficial to the nation would be done. Instead of handing over power to the CHP, be the reason for your father's old comrades to turn back from their mistakes. It may take a long time for you to come to power." At the end of the consultations we held, we wrote the issues regarding our red lines in the fields of economy, foreign policy, and social policies into this memorandum of understanding. We extended an olive branch to them, so to speak... (Today) In such a picture, it was of course not possible for us to support them any further. That is why we are now continuing our path independently.

THERE SHOULD BE AN EARLY ELECTION

There could be an early election in the spring of 2026 or the autumn of 2025. A change in an early election within a year or a year and a half would be to Turkey's benefit. The nation's expectation is also in this direction.

OIL SHIPMENTS FROM CEYHAN TO ISRAEL MUST BE STOPPED

(According to the official foreign trade statistics of the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, imports of approximately 60 million dollars were made from Turkey in June and approximately 70 million dollars in July 2024. Do you have similar information?)

Yes, the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics says; "This many million dollars worth of products from Turkey are still continuing to come to us." It is stated that this is also done via Greece. The ship doesn't even go to Greece. Documents are just prepared as if it were going to Greece, but the ship actually goes to Israel. Another piece of data is that the trade volume between Palestine and Turkey has increased 12-fold in one year. This is a situation contrary to the ordinary flow of life. In no country in the world, in no period, does your trade volume increase 12-fold within a year. It increases by 10 percent, 50 percent, but a 1200 percent increase never happens. Moreover, it is impossible for Palestine, which is exposed to such a massacre and is in a state where it cannot even open its eyes, to be in such a trade expansion. The foreign press writes that Turkish products are sent to Israel through certain companies established in Palestine. Another equally important issue is the sending of Azerbaijani oil from Baku to Ceyhan, and from Ceyhan to Israel. Whoever it is, we must not allow third countries to provide oil to Israel through us. These allegations are very serious, but unfortunately, we cannot see a statement based on clear, net, concrete evidence. They are covering up the issue, they are pretending not to hear. I clearly doubt their sincerity because they gave a very bad test before March 31. Now, rightfully, our suspicions are at a very high level.

News Source: 12punto