Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral on Mansur Yavaş: 'He would choose Erdoğan'

Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral was a guest on the program "Pazar Siyaseti" (Sunday Politics) with Talat Atilla, broadcast on tv100. Making significant assessments regarding the current agenda, Saral made a striking statement about the upcoming presidential elections.

Speaking on what kind of stance Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş might take in the presidential elections, Saral expressed his belief that Yavaş would choose to support President Erdoğan.

HE WOULD CHOOSE ERDOĞAN

Saral said, "If Mansur Yavaş had to make a choice between Ekrem İmamoğlu and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the presidential elections, he would support President Erdoğan for the survival and independence of Turkey." Describing Yavaş as a "national and local man," Saral argued that this stance aligns with Yavaş's political and ideological position.

EMPHASIS ON THE SOLUTION PROCESS

During the program, Saral was also asked about the recent call made by PKK terrorist organization leader Abdullah Öcalan. Making notable assessments on the subject, Saral referred to the solution process, stating that important steps were taken in the past for a Turkey without terrorism, but that the process was sabotaged.

Saral stated, "This is a historical process. There was a similar solution process initiative during the 24th legislative term. A Turkey without terrorism was targeted, but this process was torpedoed by foreign powers and those who do not want peace in Turkey. Now we are heading towards a new process. There are calls coming from the PKK and Öcalan. With steps to be taken with state wisdom, a critical stage could be reached within the next few months," he said.

Emphasizing that if the process is sabotaged, it would cause a major crisis of confidence and trauma in society, Saral stated that the state would manage the process carefully.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş had made different choices in the discussions that began within the CHP regarding who the presidential candidate would be.

After CHP Chairman Özgür Özel announced that the CHP's candidate would be determined by party members and that they would therefore hold a primary, İmamoğlu supported this decision, while Yavaş stated that it was too early for such a choice and announced that he would not participate in the primary.

EKREM İMAMOĞLU IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN CHP

While 116 CHP deputies signed for Ekrem İmamoğlu, enabling him to be a candidate in the primary, 17 deputies did not sign for İmamoğlu.

Mansur Yavaş, on the other hand, expressed his concerns and announced that he would not enter the primary race. No name other than İmamoğlu appeared for the presidential primary to be held in the CHP.

The CHP will go to the polls on March 23 to determine its presidential candidate, and the only name that will appear on the ballot in the primary will be Ekrem İmamoğlu.