Pro-Gülen daily runs piece with party propaganda

In a commentary piece in the Gülen Movement-affiliated Zaman daily on Tuesday, Veysel Ayhan, an academic known for his close ties with the Gülen Movement, wrote propaganda for all opposition parties in an effort to slander the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

The comment piece, penned by Ayhan includes is against the AK Party and suggests voting for other parties with. After counting the reasons for not voting for the AK Party, the author says: "Neither the Republican People's Party (CHP) nor the Nationalist [Movement] Party (MHP), nor Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) did those poltroons above. Please nobody ask ‘why CHP, why MHP?' from now on."

He also advises people to vote for the MHP and the HDP or the CHP and the pro-Islamist Felicity Party (SP) in the same piece. While addressing nationalist sentiments, he says: "If I take the danger of separation of the country seriously, alongside with development, I can vote for the MHP." Ayhan also gave advice to the HDP, saying: "If I think that the terror problem can only be solved through political participation and the AK Party exploits human and democratic rights of Kurds with political calculation, I can vote for the HDP"

Again, the author continues propaganda for opposition parties regarding the CHP's sensitiveness in laicism: "If I say that I am quite sensitive about laicism, I do not want anybody interfering in someone's way of life, and I dream of integration with Europe, I can vote for the CHP." However, he did not ignore the conservative electorate in his piece, humiliating the former Interior Minister Efkan Ala, the former EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış and businessman Ethem Sancak. He advises people to vote for an alliance of the Felicity Party (SP) and the pro-Turkish-Islamic Grand Unity Party (BBP).