Erdoğan compares CHP to terror organizations, main opposition reacts

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) of carrying out an aggressive stance against the ruling government, likening it to behavior “in line with terrorist aims,” with CHP spokesperson Bülent Tezcan reacting by saying the president’s discourse is polarizing.

“The main opposition party acts with the understanding of seizing the administration, the ruling Justice and Development Party [AKP] and myself, at the expense of the loss of Turkey, instead of coming to power by winning the hearts and minds of the nation with their efforts and programs. Their language is not the normal language of an opposition party, it is almost the language of a terrorist organization,” Erdoğan said on Sept. 6, speaking to the AKP’s provincial heads.

“Whatever they [terrorist organizations] do, they [the CHP] does the same,” Erdoğan added. 

“We will not hand our country over at the mercy of an understanding, which gives the impression they are in line with a terrorist organization and Turkey’s enemies with every step they take, every word they say and every policy they implement,” he said.

The CHP’s spokesperson Tezcan reacted to Erdoğan’s claims, arguing Erdoğan excessively uses a discourse over “terror” to polarize society.

“Everyone knows the discourse of AKP leader Erdoğan’s language. I don’t need to define it. We say ‘justice,’ he says ‘terror.’ Our nation can tell the difference,” Tezcan said, after his party’s Central Executive Board meeting on Sept. 6.

“Our nation knows our language contains nothing but justice, peace, democracy, brotherhood and reconciliation. We will continue to use this language,” he said.

“If you look at who is using the word ‘terror’ most frequently, who is using ‘conflict’ and ‘polarization’ in politics, then the person who divides this society will be revealed,” he added.