Striking behind-the-scenes details on the Erdoğan-Özel summit! 'A gesture not to the CHP, but to Bahçeli'

The meeting between AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, which had the political agenda's eyes fixed upon it, took place at the AKP Headquarters.

Prior to the critical summit, CHP leader Özel had requested that the meeting be held at the Çankaya Mansion or the AKP Headquarters, while also stating that they would not have refused if the appointment had been set at the Presidential Palace.

The decision to hold the meeting at the AKP Headquarters upon the CHP's request was interpreted as a 'gesture'.

However, different assessments were made in the opposition lobby of the Parliament.

According to a report in Gazete Duvar; those pointing out that the location of the Erdoğan-Özel summit was finalized after Erdoğan's visit to Bahçeli made the following assessment: "Erdoğan receives Mr. Bahçeli at Beştepe, at the Presidential Palace. Bahçeli has never gone to the AK Party Headquarters. In a sense, the two leaders hold their meetings at the 'state level'. It is also possible to interpret holding the meeting with Özel at the AK Party headquarters, rather than at the Presidential Palace, as a 'gesture not to Özel, but to Bahçeli'."