MHP removes Halaçoğlu from office after remarks on CHP’s ‘atheism’

ANKARA

DHA Photo

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has stripped one of its deputy parliamentary group chairs of his post days after controversial remarks in which he intimated that the public views the Republican People’s Party (CHP) as “irreligious and non-believing.” 

“Having considered the requirement, MHP Kayseri deputy Yusuf Halaçoğlu has been relieved of his deputy parliamentary group chair post,” MHP Deputy Chair Semih Yalçın said in a brief written statement released late on July 12.

Halaçoğlu’s controversial remarks came in early July when he attempted to explain why the MHP did not vote for the CHP’s candidate for parliamentary speaker, Deniz Baykal, in order to block the election of the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) candidate, İsmet Yılmaz.

Halaçoğlu argued that the AKP would then exploit their choice by saying the MHP had lent support to “an irreligious and atheist party.”

In addition to the CHP, the AKP also severely decried Halaçoğlu’s remarks.