Ali Babacan's statement on cooperation in local elections! What will his party's stance be?

DEVA Party Chairman Ali Babacan met with journalists.

According to a report by T24, Babacan, who made statements regarding the agenda, responded to a question about whether they would cooperate with other parties in the local elections on March 31, 2024, by saying, "If a request comes from our local organizations, we will evaluate these requests as an exception."

Noting that the headquarters of the parties to be cooperated with must also look favorably upon this cooperation, Babacan used the following expressions:

"THERE IS FATIGUE COMING FROM THE ALLIANCE"

"This is quite a difficult thing; there are many hills we need to climb one after another. But we don't have a situation where we say 'let there be cooperation and let's wait.' We have started the process of identifying our own candidates. We have until February 20. If such things happen, it would be in small numbers, if it happens in the first week of February. We haven't completely closed the door on this. Because we thought that if a reasonable framework is formed at the local level, it wouldn't be very right to close the door on that either. I don't believe it will be in large numbers. There is no such climate among parties right now. There is a fatigue coming from the general elections and the alliance. Most of the parties say, 'it caused harm, we couldn't be ourselves.' We are currently preparing our own candidates in both Istanbul and Ankara. We will present an alternative to our citizens. Perhaps we will present the alternative they couldn't find in the general elections. There is a 50+1 requirement in general elections. But there is no such requirement in local elections. That's why we tell the citizens, 'look, you are not forced, there are alternatives.' We believe that this stance of ours is a stance that expands democracy and reduces the feeling of helplessness among our citizens."

"WE CARE ABOUT THE SAADET PARTY GROUP"

Babacan also responded to a question regarding the dissolution of the group formed together by the Saadet Party and the Future Party (Gelecek Partisi) in Parliament after the number of seats fell to 19 following the passing of Saadet Party Kocaeli Deputy Hasan Bitmez, and whether any deputy transfer from the DEVA Party to the Saadet Party is being considered:

"With the passing of Hasan Bitmez, we were both saddened and made an assessment regarding the Saadet Party's situation in Parliament; we also had a traffic of contact with them. First of all, we said this: we care a lot about the Saadet Party group being in Parliament. It is a good thing for our democracy that the political line represented by the Saadet Party is under the roof of Parliament and that this line is represented with a loud voice in Parliament. There are two government and four opposition groups in Parliament; we would not want this to drop to three in terms of the effectiveness of the opposition. We conveyed these to them. On the other hand, as for the issue of completing the group with a deputy transfer, there are already parties that have a group and have more deputies; if support is given from those parties, their groups are not affected anyway. We also expressed that it could be beneficial to talk to those parties."

"WE HAVE AN EFFORT TO ESTABLISH OUR OWN GROUP"

"We are currently acting with the effort to establish a group with 15 deputies. It is very beneficial for the opposition to be present with a loud voice in Parliament in line with the DEVA Party. On one hand, we care a lot about the Saadet Party's group, but on the other hand, we have our own group efforts. Only six and a half months have passed since the general elections. There is restructuring in the parties, there are those who have left; we see quite a lot of movement. It is necessary to see whether some will cooperate in the local elections or not. Of course, we aim for this group issue for ourselves until the local elections, but we think it will be more difficult until the local elections, but our efforts continue. However, after the local elections, looking at the picture that will emerge, there might be some movement within Parliament after the local elections at that point. Of course, we naturally desire to reach the sufficient number for a group with deputies who are suitable for our principles and stance, and with whom there will be no tissue incompatibility."

"ERDOĞAN MUST FACE INFLATION"

Stating that AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan must face inflation, Babacan also criticized the economic management with the following words:

"He needs to say, 'For years I said interest is the cause, inflation is the result,' 'I dismissed Central Bank governors because they didn't listen to me.' 'I saw that this was wrong, I gave the new Central Bank Governor and the economic management permission to increase interest rates.' He needs to say this openly. The market is still waiting, wondering when his patience will run out, wondering when he will dismiss the Central Bank Governor. Mr. Erdoğan's pen tip is hanging over the Central Bank Governor like the sword of Damocles. A Central Bank Governor who is not independent has no credibility. Erdoğan's sincere confrontation is a must."