Devlet Bahçeli, head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a partner of the People’s Alliance led by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), shot down reports that there were cracks in the alliance. In a lengthy social media post, Bahçeli responded to "rumors" that it differed with the government in handling the threat of the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ). His statements came one day after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, a potential contender in the 2028 presidential race, said that change was inevitable in the Republican People’s Party (CHP) ahead of next month’s party convention.

Journalists close to CHP have shared Bahçeli’s photos as he hosted Fenerbahçe sports club chair Ali Koç on Monday and claimed the MHP leader’s photo had symbols with a send-off to the government, namely a clock stopped at 17:25. 17:25 refers to the dates of two coup attempts in December 2013 by FETÖ that targeted the government. Bahçeli has personally set up the clock in his office after the quelled attempts and remains a steadfast opponent of the terrorist group while proudly claiming it failed to infiltrate his party. Aziz Yıldırım, Koç’s predecessor, was also a victim of a plot by FETÖ that landed him in jail.

Bahçeli, who has maintained a low profile recently, said on Tuesday that the People’s Alliance was a sign of unity in the Turkish nation, "its very existence." "The alliance is the insurance of the nation at a time of the rebuilding of the global economic and political system, at a time Türkiye is viewed unfairly at risk of conflict within a year," he said, referring to a Bloomberg report.

Following the municipal elections on March 31, in which the AK Party lost several strongholds, unconfirmed reports pointed that MHP may split from the Alliance, something Bahçeli repeatedly denied and blamed on the opposition aiming at "strife." He repeated this view in his social media post and said, "wheel of rumors are spinning again as the front for inciting strife is being reinforced by those with nefarious intentions on Türkiye’s future, those seeking to make Türkiye a country they can intervene to."

Bahçeli said the 2013 coup attempt by infiltrators of FETÖ in law enforcement and judiciary was the incubation period of FETÖ’s July 15 "betrayal," referring to another coup attempt by military infiltrators of the group that killed dozens in 2016. "It is impossible to forget either the 2013 plot or July 15. It is not the right thing to do," he said. Bahçeli said those seeking to stain the crystal-clear fight of the People’s Alliance were wasting their time. "Global Internet platforms, social media circles, organized interest groups, and some newspapers and televisions, particularly Halk TV, are doomed to fail in their efforts to confirm a crack in People’s Alliance," he said, referring to a pro-CHP TV network. "People’s Alliance is good news for Turks; it is a century of Türkiye and will sustain its sacred march for future generations," he concluded.

The MHP leaders are at odds with CHP, which is pursuing a "normalization" with the government after the municipal election, as evidenced by multiple meetings between CHP Chairperson Özgür Özel and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. MHP highlighted that they support the process, though it differs from the CHP process.

CHP is engaged in planning a September convention, which is expected to be a scene of power struggle between supporters of former Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel. Kılıçdaroğlu still appears to have backing within the party and media reports claim he may seek a comeback in the convention. With enough support, the convention may include an election to replace Özel. In light of these reports, Imamoğlu’s statements on Monday had a new meaning. Addressing a meeting of party members in Istanbul who came together to discuss the convention, Imamoğlu said CHP would "change" and "Türkiye will change." "Our journey cannot have any other conclusion," he underlined. Imamoğlu was a favorite figure for Kılıçdaroğlu, who helped boost his political career by nominating him for mayor in 2019 when he was chairing a CHP municipality in a far-flung district of Türkiye’s most populated city. However, when Özel challenged Kılıçdaroğlu after the latter lost the 2023 presidential race, Imamoğlu threw all support behind the prospective chair. Political pundits say Imamoğlu may also challenge Özel in a potential intraparty election in the near future, if not in September, or has designs on running for president in the 2028 general elections.

CHP is Türkiye’s oldest party and is currently the second biggest in Turkish politics. Yet, it repeatedly failed against the AK Party in the past two decades, something tied to its failure to adapt to a new era in politics dominated by the AK Party and connect with the disadvantaged communities from which it garnered votes. "CHP is still fine despite everything. Of course, we cannot take pride in our current state when there are many political parties out there with bad prospects," he said on Monday. Imamoğlu claimed that CHP is viewed as a savior by the people from what he called a crisis of economy and justice, as evidenced by the high number of votes it won in local elections. He highlighted the need for a change in the party. "It is imperative that the party should be more democratic, more embracing," he said.