Turkey’s opposition ends saga, names Kilicdaroglu as Erdogan challenger
Recovering from a major blow to its unity last week, Turkey’s leading opposition bloc has finally announced a joint candidate to run against Erdogan.
ANKARA — Ending a five-day saga over the fate of Turkey's opposition alliance, the country's six opposition parties announced Monday that main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu would be their joint candidate to run against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the country's fateful presidential elections expected to be held on May 14.
Speaking flanked by the five other opposition party heads, Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoglu said the parties agreed to nominate Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kilicdaroglu as their joint candidate.
Speaking after him, Kilicdaroglu said the five opposition leaders in the alliance would serve as vice presidents under Kilicdaroglu should the bloc win the presidential elections, adding that the parties also agreed on a 12-point road map to turn the country back to the parliamentary system from Erdogan's executive presidency, which the government critics call one-man rule.
On the road map, the parties pledged to create a decision-making process based on consensus and consultation on important issues. Every party within the alliance will be represented by at least one minister in the cabinet formed under the new government.
