Opposition set to declare joint government program

Six opposition parties in Turkey will hold their last meeting in their second round of talks on January 5, before announcing the joint government program they will implement should they get elected in presidential and parliamentary elections which will be held in less than six months.

According to a story published in Cumhuriyet newspaper on Monday, the opposition alliance, also known as Table of Six in Turkish media because of round table photos of leaders after each meeting, already completed preparations for their government program, but have been waiting for the leaders for the final touches.

Senior figures from the parties also told Cumhuriyet that Thursday’s meeting will also make an assessment on how to make the transition from the presidential system to “strengthened parliamentary system” in Turkey, as promised by the opposition to end “the single handed rule” of President Tayyip Erdogan.

After setting a date to announce the program and finishing work on the transition process, the parties will start negotiating to nominate a joint candidate against Erdogan, according to Cumhuriyet.

Amid rumors over disagreement on the presidential candidate, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Good Party leader Meral Aksener from the alliance held a meeting last week that lasted over two hours and ended without any briefing.

CHP leader Kilicdaroglu on several occasions has greenlighted his candidacy should the opposition bloc agree on his name. However, Aksener openly declared that she preferred one of the mayors of Ankara or Istanbul to be nominated as a candidate and announced a quick support for CHP’s Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu following his conviction by to prison sentence by a Turkish court earlier this month.