Turkey's two main opposition parties' presidential candidate launches official campaign

ANKARA

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu (C) visits Anıtkabir in Ankara, June 30. AFP Photo

Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the joint presidential candidate of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), started his official campaign June 30 by visiting Anıtkabir, where the Turkish Republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is buried.

“I declare to the Turkish people that I will follow and improve the values of the Republic,” İhsanoğlu wrote in the special book at Anıtkabir.  

Turkey needs to have the ideals of “peace at home [and] peace in the world” these days more than ever, he said, noting that maintaining and securing social peace is important for Turkey’s prosperity.
İhsanoğlu also visited the tomb of İsmet İnönü, the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).

Turkey’s president should not embrace a single political approach, instead he should defend them all in harmony, İnsanoğlu added after his meeting with TÜRK-İŞ.