Turkish Opposition Presses for Early Elections, Calls For Erdogan's Resignation

World

June 6th, 7:29am

Ankara - Saeed Abdul Razzak

A street vendor sells Turkish national flags at Mahmutpasa street, a popular middle-class shopping district, in Istanbul, Turkey March 22, 2021. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/

Opposition parties in Turkey are pressuring President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to hold early elections and to step down. Head of Turkey’s opposition Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) Ali Babacan said that Erdogan should resign, warning that the people’s agony will continue as long as the government of the Justice and Development Party is in power. He stressed that it is time that Erdogan leaves or else the country will suffer on a daily basis. Poverty has reached an advanced level, Babacan warned, adding that the Turkish people are searching for food in the garbage. He added that the suicide rate increased as well, and this is unprecedented in Turkey. The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) spokesman, Faik Oztra, said that it is time that this authority that betrayed the people leaves. It is elections time, he noted. For his part, former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu slammed the Turkish president and described him as “ignorant”. Davutoglu said that presidents around the world deliver statements to calm people down but when Erdogan speak, he spreads fear in the society.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3012046/turkish-opposition-presses-early-elections-calls-erdogans-resignation