Muharrem Ince, one of four candidates in Turkey’s presidential election on Sunday, announced the withdrawal of his candidacy this Thursday, a decision that could favor Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, the main opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“I withdraw my candidacy”, declared at a press conference the leader of the Memleket (Homeland) party, which collected between 2% and 4% of voting intentions according to the most recent polls.
Several of his party’s executives have resigned in recent days over fears that the candidacy of Ince Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, the main opposition candidate, would prevent him from defeating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power for 20 years.
In Sunday’s elections, the opposition is presenting a united six-party front with one presidential candidate, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, leader of Turkey’s largest opposition party (People’s Republican Party – CHP, social democrat).
Justifying his decision, Muharrem Ince stated that the opposition alliance would “put all the blame on him” in the event of a defeat scenario.
“I don’t want them to have excuses,” he said.
Muharrem Ince was the Republican People’s Party (CHP, Social Democrat) candidate in the 2018 presidential election after being defeated in the first round by Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In May 2021, he launched his own secular nationalist party.
Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on May 14 and will determine whether or not President Recep Tayip Erdogan and his AKP party remain in power for two decades.
The latest poll released today by the renowned Konda Institute gives Kiliçdaroglu 49.3% of first-round voting intentions, against 43.7% for Erdogan and 2.2% for Muharrem Ince.
A fourth candidate, Sinan Ogan, records 4.8% of voting intentions, according to the same study.
Nearly 61 million voters will decide the future of the country, including more than three million Turks living outside their country, including in Portugal, who vote early.
Source: DN
