Devlet Bahçeli, chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a major ally of the government, expressed hope that the two opposition parties it fiercely competes with can work on rebuilding ties amid a time of solidarity.
Bahçeli was spotted shaking hands with members of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and in a candid conversation with main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel during the reopening of Parliament earlier this month. He earlier tied these rare instances of amity with the two parties he has repeatedly slammed to the need for unity in Turkish politics amid an expanding war in the wider region.
The veteran politician was highly critical of both parties again as he addressed MHP lawmakers on Tuesday in the capital Ankara. Yet, he called upon them not to turn down “the hand we extended.”
The MHP’s ally, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), has launched a simultaneous normalization drive with the CHP following last March’s local elections. The MHP endorsed the process, which involved landmark meetings between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Özel. But Bahçeli said the ambition for the drive was lacking on the CHP side. He accused the CHP of lacking principles and a problematic approach in the face of ongoing developments in the region.
“They resort to cheap tricks while the neighborhood is on fire,” Bahçeli said, in reference to the rival’s different approach to the Palestine-Israel conflict and the threat posed by Israel toward Türkiye. His criticism targeted Özel’s remarks after a closed session of Parliament over Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Özel has claimed that the government’s concerns over a potential Israel attack were baseless. “Mr. Özgür’s remarks are highly irresponsible,” Bahçeli said on Tuesday. “The CHP does not share Türkiye’s national goals. I know they won’t change overnight but we will not abandon hope on them. We will patiently wait for the days where they will, even accidentally, side with Turkish nation and Türkiye,” he said.
On his outreach to the DEM Party, Bahçeli said he extended his hand sincerely and with good intentions and called on the party not to “sabotage” this gesture. The DEM Party has welcomed the MHP’s move but vowed that they would continue to involve the jailed leader of the PKK terrorist group to any process of “reconciliation.”
The party is known for its intricate links to the group, which has killed thousands in Türkiye and abroad since the 1980s. Bahçeli said Tuesday that his outreach was a step to ensure that a climate of peace and tolerance prevailed in Türkiye amid “strong winds in the region.”
“If the head of terrorists should be involved, he may start by unilaterally dissolving the PKK and ceasing all attacks. The state should not be expected to negotiate with terrorists,” Bahçeli said.
