Ümit Özdağ, the leader of the far-right Victory Party (ZP) Wednesday endorsed opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Sunday’s presidential runoff over Kılıçdaroğlu’s pledge to send back millions of refugees in Türkiye.
Özdağ announced his support for Kılıçdaroğlu, the head of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the contender of a six-party opposition bloc challenging Erdoğan, days after Sinan Oğan, the third-placed contender in the first round of the presidential election on May 14, endorsed Erdoğan in the upcoming runoff.
Oğan, another staunch anti-migration advocate, was the joint candidate of an alliance of small conservative parties, led by Özdağ’s ZP.
Erdoğan received 49.5% of the votes in the first round of the presidential race – just short of the majority needed for an outright victory – compared to Kılıçdaroğlu’s 44.9%.
Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its allies also retained a majority in the 600-seat parliament – a development that increases Erdoğan’s chances of re-election because voters are likely to vote for him to avoid a splintered government, according to analysts.
In an apparent attempt to woo nationalist voters in the runoff, Kılıçdaroğlu hardened his tone last week, vowing to send back refugees and ruling out any peace negotiations with the PKK if he is elected.
Türkiye is home to the world’s largest refugee community, including 3.7 million Syrians who fled persecution and brutality in their country when the civil war broke out in 2011 after the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.
While most Syrians in Türkiye are not eligible to vote, anti-migrant sentiment is running high in the country amid economic turmoil, including high inflation, and the issue of the repatriation of migrants has turned into a main campaign issue.
Kılıçdaroğlu and Özdağ further uncovered a seven-point protocol that, among other things, affirms their agreement on repatriating some 13 million migrants in Türkiye, the continuation of the fight against terrorist groups, and stresses to "never compromise on the national, unitary and secular state founded in 1924."
"Overcoming Türkiye’s economic problems without sending back 13 million refugees and illegal migrants first and preventing more from rushing in is impossible," Özdağ told reporters next to a visibly pleased Kılıçdaroğlu.
After calling for Turkish citizens to support their push to expel refugees, Özdağ revealed his party had first met with Numan Kurtulmuş, the deputy chair of the AK Party to discuss what Erdoğan’s administration would do concerning the refugee issue.
"What they told us did not include sending refugees back. We spoke with (Mr.) Kılıçdaroğlu, who blatantly assured us refugees must be sent back and that he would adopt this policy," Özdağ said.
"Therefore, we have come to an agreement with him that will ensure the safe return of Syrians in line with international law and human rights, a solution that will unload a massive burden off the Turkish economy and make our streets safe again," he added.
The parameters of the two leaders’ protocol include a pledge to send back Syrians living in Türkiye within "a year at most," continue the "determined" fight against terror groups like the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), PKK, and Daesh, and keep appointed trustees in place instead of government officials discharged over alleged links to said groups.
Not an hour after their announcement, Kurtulmuş himself responded to Özdağ regarding their meeting and dismissed his claims as "entirely false."
"As we have expressed in both our one-on-one meeting and joint press statement, our government continues its comprehensive efforts on the safe and voluntary repatriation of Syrian migrants with the utmost sensitivity," Kurtulmuş said on Twitter.
Contrary to the harsh rhetoric of politicians like Özdağ and Oğan, Erdoğan has led an all-embracing policy toward Syrians who fled the brutal civil war in their homeland for asylum in Türkiye over the past decade.
The ruling administration also has been working in recent years to ensure the return of those willing to return to safe zones the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) established across northern Syria, while battling the PKK, its Syrian branch, the YPG, as well as remnants of Daesh via cross-border operations and backing moderate Syrian opposition against Assad.