İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu evaluates resignations within his party

İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu answered questions from Kübra Par on tv100. Dervişoğlu provided answers to many curious questions, ranging from the normalization agenda in politics to early election debates and the stance on foreign policy.

Here are the highlights from Dervişoğlu's statements:

THE PERCEPTION THAT 'EVERYONE IS PLAYING THIS GAME'

"I do not think that acting differently on the podium than in private interactions brings any credibility to politicians in the eyes of the citizens. Furthermore, it can create the wrong perception that there is a play on stage and everyone is playing this game.

"PROBLEMS ARE NOT SOLVED BY NOT STANDING UP FOR ERDOĞAN"

I think it is more appropriate to look at the issue through the lens of state traditions rather than political expectations. You do not take a stance based on the situation. If you stand up when a foreign head of state comes to the TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey), you should not display a different attitude when the President of the Republic of Turkey arrives. Problems are not solved by not standing up for Erdoğan."

"THERE MUST BE A JUSTIFICATION FOR SEEKING NORMALIZATION"

People have reached a point where they do not trust the country they live in. In such a situation, if 4.5 million young people are not in education and have not been included in employment, will politicians be able to find solutions to these problems by normalizing their own rhetoric? No. Then there must be a justification for seeking normalization. I accept the 2018 Presidential Government System as the milestone of abnormalization.

Does the view of a politician improve just by making all kinds of insults from the podiums? A politician must realize what not to say as much as they know what to say. Politics is not about hardening certain rhetoric to create a space of benefit according to the conditions of the day."

WHAT DOES DERVİŞOĞLU MEAN BY HIS DISCOURSE ON BUILDING THE CENTER?

For a long time, there has been a great effort in Turkey to hollow out the center of politics. The center is a sociological concept, not a political one. That is, it is the entirety of the national and spiritual values possessed by the people of a country. It is the founding philosophy of the century-old Republic.

Many scenarios have been staged to empty the center in politics. There was a coup in '60 and the center of politics was emptied; March 12 emptied the center of politics with an intervention, and the '80 coup happened in the same way. Since February 28 was an intervention with the nature of a coup, it emptied the center of politics, and the AK Party replaced it. 44 years have passed since the revolution, and it has been governed by the AK Party for 22 years.

What we are saying is this: With the struggle for law, democracy, justice, and freedom that we are waging, it is possible to build a politics that will regain the acceptance of all segments of society. This will prune all these extremes.

"THERE ARE SIGNS THAT PARTIES ARE MEDDLING"

There are signs that parties are meddling with the İYİ Party. If I were them, I wouldn't. MP transfers, etc... I do not find it right to talk about the resignations in our party through individuals. You know, politics is done with those who stay, not those who leave. If you look at it from the point of view of beliefs, ideals, and goals, and mathematically, two different situations emerge.

For the resignations before me and with me, I can say that those who left should state what they were uncomfortable with regarding my attitude, the party's principles, etc. We have not received such comments or criticism. Resignations from the party may have occurred due to doubts about their own political futures. I won't name names, but I can say that I am saddened by some resignations.

"THERE IS NO ISSUE REGARDING AKŞENER'S RETURN TO POLITICS"

We do not have a routine, planned meeting with Ms. Akşener, but of course, we do meet. Our relationship is quite good. Our former Chairwoman is our founding chairwoman. We did not have a deep conversation with her. We did not have a discussion on any matter regarding her return to politics. I did not become chairman by defeating Akşener at the congress."

EARLY ELECTION DEBATES

Article 101 of our Constitution states that the President cannot be a candidate. But it is as if there is an engagement for an early election and Erdoğan is being pitted against people who are likely to be presidential candidates as if a new candidacy ground will be created for him.

However, as stated in our constitution, the 2-term rule is clearly written. Mr. Erdoğan has been governing this country for 22 years. For me, talking about his candidacy again currently means strategies that require not complying with the constitution and circumventing the constitution.

"IF AN EARLY ELECTION IS A NECESSITY, LET'S DEMAND AN ELECTION IMMEDIATELY AND COMPETE"

Everyone is talking about who the AK Party and CHP candidates will be. No one is asking what will happen to the citizen, the young person, the retiree, or the farmer. If there is a need for an early election in this country, it is stated today, the next day the TBMM determines the meeting date, then the election date is determined on a calendar basis in consultation with the YSK (Supreme Election Council). Then the election date is announced. If this is a necessity and will solve the needs of this country, let's demand it and compete immediately.

But my words are for Özgür Özel. His expressions give Erdoğan the chance to set an election calendar for an early election. I am committed to the rules of the constitution in every way regarding early elections.

Turkey should seek its salvation in other areas. Not in an early election."

STATEMENT ON MANSUR YAVAŞ'S CANDIDACY CLAIMS

We do not have any meetings regarding the subject. The same applies to Ekrem İmamoğlu. The voter decides who to support. I am not in the debate of who it will be. The state of the citizen is my priority agenda. Of course, a lot of water can pass under the bridge by then. But I do not have any political engagement.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR THE ECONOMY

A process was experienced in economic management where merit was not taken as a basis and the basic rules of the economy were not followed. The economy is actually a problem that can be solved easily. You apply its rules and you witness all the economic problems healing themselves. Economic rules must reflect on the state. For all of this, Turkey needs to be left alone and not tossed to and fro. It is necessary to be careful about foreign policy rhetoric from this perspective as well."