Official statement from IYI Party: We have decided to enter the local elections independently

IYI Party Spokesperson and Head of Media Relations Prof. Dr. Kürşad Zorlu held a press conference at the party headquarters at 19:30.

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Official statement from IYI Party: We have decided to enter the local elections independently

IYI Party Spokesperson and Head of Media Relations Prof. Dr. Kürşad Zorlu held a press conference at his party's headquarters.

Recalling that Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel and his staff had proposed an alliance for the local elections during their visit last week, Zorlu stated, “Following this, our Chairperson Ms. Meral Akşener and CHP Chairman Mr. Özgür Özel held a press conference after the meeting. Mr. Özel repeated this general proposal in public, and our Chairperson stated that she would bring this proposal to the evaluation of our GIK (General Administrative Board) members, who had previously made a decision on this matter.”

Noting that the General Administrative Board met and reached a final decision regarding the proposal, Zorlu said, “However, first of all, I would like to share our views through you. The IYI Party was founded as a Turkish voice and a cry of hope at a time when our nation is polarized and searching for a way out, and it has reached this point today.”

Emphasizing that the noble Turkish nation founded the IYI Party, Zorlu continued, “The IYI Party has been the voice of pure Turkish children against those who pursue a policy of de-Turkifying the Turkish state with a policy devoid of national identity. While the cry for Republic and democracy, law and justice is deafening, let those who ignore this voice know: The IYI Party will herald enlightenment in the new century of the Republic with the same faith and spirit as it had 100 years ago.”

Zorlu assessed, “The local government elections will be an election where the Turkish nation will give its message to those who caused this bad course of events; for the IYI Party, it will mean a redetermination of our route in our march to power. That route is the nation itself.”

"WE ARE ENTERING INDEPENDENTLY"

Stating that Chairperson Akşener held consultations with her party's authorized bodies, deputies, and provincial and district heads to conduct a broad evaluation, and conveyed the findings and opinions obtained from these meetings to the members of the General Administrative Board, Zorlu announced, “In our meeting, almost all of our GIK members expressed their views with great openness, and then we proceeded to a vote. This turned into a feast of democracy, which does not have many examples in our political history. The issue was examined in all its aspects, and as a result of the vote, our General Administrative Board has decided to enter the 2024 local elections 'independently'.”

Zorlu continued as follows:

“It should not be forgotten that the movement of the brave is a stance against the understanding that 'every path is permissible on the road to victory.' Let no one have any doubt that we will continue to walk our path by standing against this powerful political understanding that drags our country into darkness, while also embracing our national sanctities and our nation's call for a third way and an alternative.

As the IYI Party, we will go into the 2024 elections 'independently,' that is, on our own, as our Chairperson expressed. By presenting the most accurate candidates to our voters, we will share with them the responsibility of serving our nation with the motto of 'Good Municipalism.' I wish this decision to bring goodness to our country, our nation, and the IYI Party family first and foremost.”

Answering journalists' questions at the end of the press conference, Zorlu added that the decision was taken by a majority vote.

News Source: İHA