Turkey's opposition bloc collapses

Leader of the nationalist opposition Good Party said after consulting with senior party officials on Friday that they are faced with a fait accompli and and they will not bow down.

A declaration signed by six opposition party leaders yesterday stated that "a mutual understanding has been reached on the presidential candidate," but it has quickly become clear that there was not a consensus within the opposition bloc, known as the Table of Six, and that Good Party was objecting to nominating main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Good Party leader Meral Aksener said on Friday that it has become clear after the latest meeting of the opposition bloc that there are "personal agendas" involved in the process of nominating a presidential candidate. Referring to yesterday's declaration of the opposition bloc, she said the stated "mutual understanding" was an "alleged" understanding.

"We have arrived at the current situation through dirty deals. In yesterday's meeting five party leaders proposed to nominate Kilicdaroglu, and we proposed to nominate Mansur Yavas [Ankara Mayor] or Ekrem Imamoglu [Istanbul Mayor]," she said.

"This attempt of ours to reflect the much justified expectations of the people in the Table's decisions was rejected. It has become clear that personal agendas and ambitions have taken precedence over Turkey. Those small agendas that further grow after every defeat have taken precedence over a great [future] victory of 85 million people. The Table of Six has lost its ability to integrate the people's expectations into its decisions."

She added:

"We'll not sit on a gambling table, or on a notary's table. We will not allow the fate of 85 million to be discarded."