Buğra Kavuncu’s striking remarks on AKP and CHP: ‘It is not possible for us to chart a future for the İYİ Party by holding onto…’

The new legislative year has begun in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). As we continue to bring the preparations of the 6 political party groups represented in Parliament for the new term and their assessments of the latest political developments to the pages of Gazete Duvar, our guest today was İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Buğra Kavuncu.

İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Buğra Kavuncu made statements regarding the current agenda.

'THE İYİ PARTY IS PROVIDING THE CLEAREST OPPOSITION'

Speaking to Gazete Duvar, Kavuncu argued that the İYİ Party is providing the clearest opposition in the TBMM.

In response to the question, "What kind of an İYİ Party will we see in the new legislative year?", Kavuncu replied:

"Since the day our party was founded, our opposition line has always been open and clear. In fact, our reason for establishment was an objection to this freak system brought by the current government. We have never deviated from that line. From time to time, some labels were attached, but I am within my party, I am the group deputy chairman. It is not possible for the structure, genes, and management staff of the İYİ Party to go down a different path. I think all these speculations are intentional. Therefore, this line will not be broken. Currently, the party providing the clearest, most direct opposition in Turkey is the İYİ Party."

'YOU WILL SEE THE İYİ PARTY IN UNITY THIS TERM'

You will see the İYİ Party in unity during this term. You will see the İYİ Party entirely within an institutional structure and in unity of discourse. From our headquarters to our provincial organizations, and from our organizations to our parliamentary group, we will bring the issues that hurt our nation and concern the future of Turkey to the agenda in many channels.

'I DO NOT FIND ANY OF THE RESIGNATIONS JUSTIFIED'

Emphasizing that he does not find any of the resignations in his party justified, Kavuncu continued:

"I do not find any of these resignations justified or correct. We have not made a negative statement about the friends who left until today. But I say this very clearly; we have chosen a difficult path. We are doing what a party that wants a parliamentary system should do. We are objecting. We are raising our voices against the system dominated by two parties in Turkey. That is why we have put forward a claim and we will continue it. We are acting together with our friends who have chosen this arduous path."

'BY HOLDING ONTO THE SKIRTS OF THE CHP OR THE AK PARTY...'

"It is not possible for the İYİ Party to chart a future for itself by holding onto the hands or skirts of the Republican People's Party (CHP) or the AK Party. The reason for this party's establishment is very clear. The freak Presidential Government System is leading the country into darkness, and we have a very clear stance regarding the strengthened parliamentary system. We are the only party in Turkey today that speaks about this with such clarity.

Perhaps this struggle seemed difficult to some of our friends. You have come here with the votes of İYİ Party voters. If I had witnessed them being able to construct a single sentence to convince these voters, I would have respected it. But they carry the burden of hundreds of thousands of people. 'This happened in the party, that happened'; these excuses do not concern the voter. The fight you will give is in this party. These are not excuses I can accept.

None of them came out and said bravely, 'This struggle was difficult. I preferred a more comfortable space and could not carry the trust the voter gave me.' If they had said that, I would have respected them more."

'THE İYİ PARTY IS IN A RECOVERY TREND'

Will the İYİ Party be able to regain the momentum it had 1.5 years ago?

Stating that his party is in a recovery trend, Kavuncu said, "We went through a very difficult period, but despite this, the data we have shows very clearly that there is a recovery trend, especially in the last 2-3 months. Furthermore, the İYİ Party fills a major void in terms of the expectations and needs of the voter."

'THE STRENGTHENED PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM IS A CLUE FOR A NEW CONSTITUTION'

Regarding the new constitution discussions on the agenda, Kavuncu said:

"The presidential government system is not the right system, and a strengthened parliamentary system is necessary for Turkey. This is perhaps a clue for our interlocutors. If a radical change in this direction is not foreseen, Turkey does not need any change other than this.

Other than this, the constitution is not on anyone's agenda. However, at the root of all these problems lies the fact that the country is being governed by the wrong system.

'THE FIRST 4 ARTICLES ARE THE MORTAR OF THE COUNTRY'

What kind of constitutional amendment, by what method; all of these are ambiguous. But what I can say very clearly is this; the first 4 articles and the 66th article of the constitution are important and sensitive for us. They are the mortar of the country. Other than that, we will see what the upcoming proposal is and then we will discuss it in our relevant institutions. We will not say 'yes' to any constitutional amendment that would pave the way for the President to be re-elected."