Following devastating earthquakes in Türkiye, which claimed over 45,000 lives, Osman Nuri Kabaktepe, the Istanbul provincial chairperson of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), criticized the main opposition party and its leader for attempting to gain political advantages from the tragedy.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Sabah in Istanbul on Wednesday, Kabaktepe stressed the need for unity as a nation to overcome the catastrophic quakes, called the “disaster of century,” and called for an end to political point-scoring and finger-pointing. He accused the Republican People's Party (CHP) and its chairperson, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, of exploiting the disaster for political gain, describing their actions as "unethical and unacceptable."
Kılıçdaroğlu has been accused of failing to contribute to the government's relief and recovery efforts in the earthquake zones and of stepping up his political campaign ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in May.
The polls, scheduled for May 14, have been impliedly confirmed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is expected to be announced as the nominee of the People's Alliance – a political bloc formed by the AK Party, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Great Union Party (BBP) – for the elections.
Erdoğan's announcement during last Wednesday's AK Party group meeting has put an end to the discussion about potentially postponing the elections in the wake of the disaster.
Kabaktepe argued that while it is understandable for a political leader, who is willing to run for the Presidency, to seek an advantage over their rival, exploiting a national tragedy for political gain is unacceptable.
The Istanbul provincial chairperson expressed the belief that the opposition should have joined the government-led recovery and reconstruction efforts to aid the affected regions, but instead, they are focused on their political ambitions.
The earthquake, which hit several major cities in southern Türkiye, has left hundreds of thousands of families homeless, with many evacuated from the disaster-stricken provinces. Hundreds of survivors have already moved to other areas such as central Anatolia and the Black Sea region.
The government has initiated recovery and rebuilding efforts in the 11 affected cities that fell victim to the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes.
The presidential polls are expected to be closely contested, with the ruling party and the main opposition parties vying for power. However, earthquake preparedness is expected to be a key issue in the upcoming election, with the electorate likely to consider each party's stance on earthquakes, which could influence their voting behavior. It has forced all parties to reevaluate their priorities and put the needs of the people first.
Amid the recovery and reconstruction efforts, Kabaktepe underlined that the AK Party has made earthquake strategies a top priority and intensified cooperation and consultation with experts and academics.
Kabaktepe emphasized the importance of acknowledging Turkey's susceptibility to earthquakes and noted that the AK Party government has taken several measures to address the issue. These measures can be classified into two main categories: additional regulations to the 1998 earthquake law and the urban transformation project.
However, Kabaktepe criticized the main opposition party, stating that they have always opposed the government's urban transformation project policy and criticized it on every platform.
Kabaktepe, who was chosen as the AK Party's Istanbul provincial chairperson in February 2021, provided an example of the CHP's objections, stating that they have filed nine lawsuits seeking to cancel the urban transformation project in Istanbul, which aims to convert 60,000 earthquake-proof houses into earthquake-resistant ones. Similar opposition has been observed in the province of İskenderun, where the CHP opposes urban transformation projects in most places.
Kabaktepe said he finds it difficult to comprehend the opposition to the transformation, which the government insists on making.
Meanwhile, the recent fatal earthquake has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being displaced and thousands of buildings destroyed. As the election approaches, the location and voting preferences of these individuals have become significant concerns.
Regarding this issue, Kabaktepe stated that their party has already started working on the matter and highlighted that the AK Party is committed to ensuring everyone's right to vote and to be elected as a fundamental goal of its democracy-based ideology.
