People's Alliance partner Destici gives a date for early elections, addresses pension hikes

Mustafa Destici, leader of the BBP, a member of the People's Alliance, made significant statements regarding the March 31 elections, pensions, the local election process, and the minimum wage during a live broadcast he attended.

Stating that the People's Alliance did not achieve what it wanted in the elections, Destici gave a date for early elections.

Expressing that it would be unfair to evaluate the minimum wage only once a year, Mustafa Destici argued that an additional raise in July is essential.

Calling on the government for pensioners as well, Destici said, "Waste in the public sector must end, and a flat raise of 5,000 TL should be given to pensioners."

Here are the highlights from Mustafa Destici's statements:

"I wish the local election results to be beneficial for our country and our nation. First of all, we are part of the People's Alliance, but alliances are not legal in local elections. Cooperation can only be made in certain regions. Specifically, the AK Party and the MHP engaged in more extensive cooperation, and then we cooperated. In other regions, every party entered with its own emblem. We had an alliance in 30 metropolitan cities, but we fielded our own candidates in some districts. When we look at the 51 provinces, in most of them, the members of the People's Alliance entered with their own candidates.

"IT IS AN INJUSTICE DONE TO OUR PARTY"

We fielded candidates in 378 out of a total of 1,410 municipalities. Our vote share in these electoral districts is 8.79 percent. That is the rate only in the places where we entered, but when divided by the general total, a figure close to 3 percent emerges. We received nearly 40 percent of the vote in 60 electoral districts. We came in first or second in 77 electoral districts. We were in the top three in 102 electoral districts.

We received nearly 3 percent of the vote in the provincial general assembly. Our municipal council member vote share is 2.57 percent. Sometimes figures with zeros are shown on television. The provincial mayoral election results are being portrayed as if they were the vote share our party received. This is neither correct nor fair to our party.

Actually, we initially won nearly 25 municipalities, but we lost 2 towns and 2 municipalities as a result of objections, and the number of municipalities we currently hold is 20. This includes our Sivas provincial municipality, Sivas Şarkışla, and my district, Eskişehir Günyüzü. As the Great Unity Party, we won 1 province, 14 districts, and 6 towns.

"WE FELT THE SADNESS OF LOSING METROPOLITAN CITIES LIKE BURSA AND BALIKESİR"

As the Great Unity Party, when we compare it to the 2019 local elections, we did not have a province, but in this election, we won Sivas. Even if it is not a metropolitan city, it is a city larger than a metropolitan city. Although the city population is approximately 650,000, we actually won a province with a population of 4-5 million. We had won 5 districts in the last local election; in this election, we almost tripled that. We also increased the number of our towns.

As the People's Alliance, we could not achieve the success we expected, especially in metropolitan cities and some provinces in Anatolia. 3 metropolitan cities were already in the hands of the opposition, but we felt the sadness of losing metropolitan cities like Bursa and Balıkesir.

A wind blew, and cities like Afyon, Kütahya, Denizli, Amasya, and Adıyaman could not stand against this wind and passed to the administration of the CHP. We respect the choice of our nation. I hope they do not act with the understanding of 'no service to those who are not one of us.'

A CLEAR FIGURE FOR PENSION SALARIES

This cannot be explained by a single reason, but we all agree that the primary reason is the economy. Both the cost of living and salary adjustments that are rightfully due to some segments but not given. For example, pensioners. They rightfully ask, 'If the economy is bad, why do civil servants get three times what I get?' Even subcontractors receive a salary of 40,000 lira, the lowest public worker receives 30,000 TL, but pensioners receive 10,000 TL.

Pension salaries must be corrected urgently in July. An important step should be taken towards fixing this by giving a flat 5,000 TL to pensioners. Some investments can wait. It would be fine if an airport were not opened for another 30 years, or if a new stadium or a new municipal building were not built. These investments must be stopped; the nation must be relieved.

"YOU WILL GIVE A RAISE TO CIVIL SERVANTS, BUT THE MINIMUM WAGE EARNER WILL NOT RECEIVE IT"

In our country, where inflation remains high, if the minimum wage is determined only once a year, it would be an injustice to minimum wage earners who bring bread to their homes with their sweat. In July, you will give a raise to all pensioners and civil servants at the rate of inflation, but the minimum wage earner will not receive it. This is not right.

With the EYT (Retirement Age Regulation), millions of people retired at an early age, and most of them continue to work. We say that the state should make an invitation to them, saying that those who do not need a pension today should not receive a salary for 10 years, but receive this salary with a raise after 10 years.

"WASTE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR MUST BE ENDED"

If a certain segment of society lives in luxury and splendor while another segment tries to live on 10,000 TL, there is a problem here. This is reflected in the ballot box. The ballot box has given a tremendous warning to the government and the ruling power today. Our President is an experienced leader; he will definitely take steps to correct this. Of course, how successful he will be will become clear in the coming period.

Even though we are the People's Alliance, this is the AK Party's own issue. But when we come face to face, we will share our thoughts with him clearly. There is a tremendous injustice in income distribution; the gap is widening. 90 percent of the public lives with a national income of 3,000-3,500 dollars. This needs to be corrected.

We clearly see that savings in the public sector have not yet reached the desired level. If belts are to be tightened, it should start with the public sector. Multiple salaries should be ended, new regulations should be introduced regarding high vehicle rentals in the public sector, and waste in the public sector must be ended.

EARLY ELECTION DISCUSSIONS

The CHP will not demand early elections because the 37 percent vote it received is not just its own vote. In the last general elections, the CHP received 27 percent, the IYI Party received 10 percent, the DEM Party received 8 percent, and the TİP received 2 percent. A total of 20. Now, what did these parties get? Let's say 4 for the IYI Party, 4 for the DEM, and the TİP received nothing.

They received 8 points. The 12 points in between went to the CHP. Subtract 12 from the 37 percent the CHP received in the local elections, and it makes 25 percent. So the CHP knows this. The same applies to our alliance. The AK Party's vote is not 35 percent. When you subtract the MHP and the Great Unity Party, the AK Party's vote is around 30 percent. So, in fact, the AK Party is still the leading party. That is why the CHP cannot ask for early elections.

MESSAGE TO AKŞENER

We have a long-standing relationship with Meral Akşener. We have a relationship with Musavat Dervişoğlu and Koray Aydın. Based on this, we express our opinions in an appropriate language.

It was not very correct for Ms. Meral to leave the chairmanship because this was not a general election, but a local election.

When founding leaders leave their parties, they cannot maintain their former strength. I see the same thing in the IYI Party right now. It is known that she supports Dervişoğlu. We are waiting; I wish the best for the IYI Party community.

'EARLY ELECTION IS INEVITABLE'

I don't think it will last 4 years. I think it will be held after 3 years, that is, 1 year before its normal time, in 2027. Whether the Constitution changes or not, it will not last 4 years. For our President to be a candidate again, the Parliament must take an early election decision one year in advance. This must also be kept in mind.

The political atmosphere created after the local elections is going positively. Except for the actions of the PKK's political party. There is a consensus in other areas. Mr. Özgür Özel's statement that they will respect the office, the exchange of greetings during the holiday, and Erdoğan saying he will accept him. This attitude has softened politics. There are no early election agendas either."