Zafer Party leader Ümit Özdağ reveals the party that proposed 'cooperation'! 'We accepted...'

Turkey will head to the polls for local elections on March 31, 2024. Cooperation talks continue among political parties as they proceed with election preparations.

Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ made significant assessments regarding the upcoming local elections on Sözcü TV.

Responding to questions from Saygı Öztürk, Özdağ claimed that they have fielded strong candidates, particularly in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, and that they will achieve good results. Stating that he expects a result in these elections where citizens will punish the 'yellow opposition,' Özdağ announced for the first time that they had held talks with the Genç Party and accepted their proposal.

Here are the notable statements from Zafer Party leader Özdağ:

"PROMISING RESULTS ARE COMING"

"We are approaching the March 31 elections. All polls show that the Zafer Party is the fastest-rising party in Turkey, and we believe we will achieve a very significant result. Very promising results are coming from the field. But they are not just coming from the polls. They are also coming from human contact.

"THERE IS A PROCESS SIMILAR TO THE 1994 ELECTIONS IN ISTANBUL"

We have fielded very strong candidates in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. We have entered a process in Istanbul similar to the 1994 elections. Our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) mayoral candidate is Azmi Karamahmutoğlu. Chairman Azmi is in a major breakthrough. The Zafer Party is in a major breakthrough.

We think we will produce a surprising result in Istanbul.

In Ankara, it is Bartu Soral. He is an experienced development economist who has served at the United Nations. He is an experienced field worker who has served in various parts of the Turkic world, and at the same time, a strong academic.

"WE WILL ACHIEVE A SERIOUS RESULT IN ANKARA"

I think Mr. Bartu will achieve a very serious result in Ankara. Because there is a significant voter base that sees itself represented by Mr. Bartu. People are no longer saying 'this is here, that is there,' it is not just two poles; no, the same thing applies to Istanbul. They see a Zafer Party that is not trapped between these two poles, that does not compromise on Atatürk, that does not compromise on the issue of refugees, and that proposes new, easy, and effective solutions regarding earthquakes in Istanbul.

In Izmir, our candidate is Naşit Birgüvi. He served as the provincial chairman for the late Mr. Türkeş and later served as the deputy chairman of the Democrat Party for many years. He is a business person and one of the important names in Izmir politics. He has also really created a nice wave in Izmir.

In the Republican People's Party, there is a candidate who is stated to be connected to Cengiz Construction, on the other side there is the AK Party candidate, and opposite them is the Zafer Party candidate. I think we will achieve an effective result.

"A PROPOSAL CAME FROM THE GENÇ PARTY, WE ACCEPTED"

We are entering the elections alone, but the Genç Party held a meeting with us to include their own candidates in our lists in some districts and provinces. We accepted. It will be finalized in the coming days.

"THE VOTER WILL PUNISH THE YELLOW OPPOSITION"

There will be a picture where the yellow opposition, which has helped the AK Party remain in power for 22 years, will be punished. Turkey can only overcome this government if it can overcome this yellow opposition.

The Erdoğan era is actually an Interregnum period. But even if Erdoğan is in power despite this, the success is not Erdoğan's. It belongs to the yellow opposition that keeps him in power."