Anti-immigrant leader endorses Kilicdaroglu in the second round

The leader of the anti-immigrant Victory Party, Umit Ozdag, announced their decision to support Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition’s joint presidential candidate in the upcoming second round of the elections.

Ozdag, known for his staunch anti-immigration stance, urged voters to rally behind Kilicdaroglu, to prevent Turkey from becoming a ‘migrantistan’:

“If you don't want to worry when your daughter goes out on the streets, if you want to send your son to the corner store safely at 9:30 PM, then support the policy that will send 13 million refugees back to their homeland on May 28 and vote for Kemal Kilicdaroglu. This is the only way to prevent Turkey from becoming a 'migrantistan'."

The meeting started after presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu arrived at the Victory Party headquarters. Ozdag greeted Kilicdaroglu at the door, and after their private discussions, they faced the cameras.

Kilicdaroglu spoke first, saying, "A text has been prepared. We have signed it, and we will share it. Each party has a responsibility for the future of Turkey, for having a peaceful country, and for Turkey to transition to a strengthened parliamentary system. We have achieved positive results. Therefore, I sincerely thank the party chairman and his colleagues for hosting us. I hope we will meet again in a much better atmosphere after the election."

Ozdag announced his support for Kilicdaroglu, saying, "After the first round, it became clear that the political landscape would lead to a second round between two candidates on the 28, and AKP Deputy Chairman Numan Kurtulmus visited us. They asked for our support. We asked them about their plans regarding refugees. What they described did not include the return of refugees to their homelands. Kilicdaroglu clearly stated that refugees should return to their homelands and that he would pursue this policy. We discussed the details of this policy and reached an agreement with him on a model proposed by the Victory Party. This model will ensure the safety of Syrians returning to Syria in accordance with international law while relieving the burden on the Turkish economy and eliminating drug gangs from our streets. Therefore, the Victory Party has decided to support Kilicdaroglu."

Hours before the joint statement, Ozdag took to Twitter and said he would become Interior Minister but Kilicdaroglu did not confirm this claim.