İYİ Party figure lashes out at Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: 'Akşener wanted to be the candidate'

Former İYİ Party Migration Policies Chair and Deputy Chairman Mehmet Tolga Akalın has reacted to recent statements made by former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu had stated, "Those we knew as nationalists and patriots, who said as a testament during the presidential elections, 'I entrust Kılıçdaroğlu to my family,' turned out to be collaborators. I was wrong to believe in them. Yes, I am at fault." Akalın argued that Kılıçdaroğlu was misinformed and that his statements were inaccurate.

AKŞENER WAS CONSIDERING A CANDIDACY

In his social media statement, Mehmet Tolga Akalın detailed the moves Meral Akşener made regarding her presidential candidacy in 2023 and the subsequent events. Recalling the meeting held on March 2, 2023, to determine the presidential candidate of the Table of Six, Akalın stated that Akşener asked, "What should we say if Mr. Kemal's name comes to the table?" Many participants in the meeting indicated that they preferred to support the candidacy of Mansur Yavaş or Ekrem İmamoğlu instead of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. However, according to Akalın, Akşener was pursuing a candidacy outside of these options.

REJECTION OF AKŞENER'S VOTING PROPOSAL

In a speech during the meeting, Akalın requested that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy be opened for discussion. Akalın proposed that the members of the Table of Six conduct a vote among their members to determine which candidate should be supported instead of Kılıçdaroğlu. He said, "As of today, the 6 political parties on the table have a total of approximately 2,800,000 members. We can collect the phone information of these members and determine the candidacy preference through electronic voting." However, Akşener rejected this proposal on the grounds that it had "technical drawbacks." According to Akalın, Akşener made this decision out of fear that such a vote would take place.

AKŞENER'S CANDIDACY GOAL

Akalın claimed that Akşener actually aimed to compete against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Akşener planned to position herself as a third candidate by squeezing Turkey between Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu for the presidency. Akalın explained this strategy of Akşener and summarized what happened after the decision to leave the Table of Six: "After leaving the table on March 3, 2023, Akşener said, 'Don't worry, I won't leave you alone, I will be the candidate,' but she backtracked on this decision a day later and, in a psychologically collapsed state, offered the candidacy to Ersan Şen Hoca."

PRESSURE PROCESS IN İYİ PARTY

Akalın stated that some İYİ Party executives, who thought Akşener's decision was wrong, launched a harsh campaign against her. According to Akalın, following this pressure, Akşener returned to the Table of Six on March 5, 2023, and withdrew her candidacy claims in exchange for 'making the two mayors Vice Presidents.' Akalın said, "Akşener withdrew out of fear of her own candidacy plan. Collaboration with the government began later."

Akalın stated that it was wrong for Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to interpret Akşener's withdrawal regarding the candidacy as "collaboration." Akalın told Kılıçdaroğlu that Akşener made this decision due to a lack of courage and that the collaboration in the subsequent period began later.