Opposition in contest to become Erdoğan's opponent in second round

A competition has begun among opposition figures of who will race against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in case he fails to receive a majority in the first round of the presidential elections and the voting heads for a run-off. The presidential candidate and leader of the Good Party (İP) Meral Akşener stirred the pot yesterday when she said that the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) candidate Muharrem İnce would not able to compete with Erdoğan in the second round of the elections scheduled for June 24.

Akşener, speaking to Duvar daily in an interview, said that Erdoğan would like to see the center-left CHP's İnce as an opponent in the second round so he can clinch an easy victory. She said that even if the İP electorate supports İnce, it would be nearly impossible to prevail over Erdoğan in the second round.

The far-right İP and the secularist center-left CHP, which formed the Nation Alliance with the Felicity Party (SP) and Democrat Party (DP), will enter the parliamentary elections in same election block.

The Nation Alliance is limited to the parliamentary elections, with member parties nominating their own presidential candidates, while Erdoğan will be running as a joint candidate for the People's Alliance, which was formed by ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Great Union Party (BBP).

Akşener is the only woman in the group of many politicians harboring the desire to run against Erdoğan.

A former interior minister of Turkey, Akşener formed the İP in October 2017 with former MHP deputies, who raised staunch criticism against the party Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's policies. She is known for her traditionalist right-wing stance and embracing such rhetoric in her public meetings.

Rising from among the overwhelmingly masculine Turkish nationalist movement and known for her strong character, she is often portrayed as the "iron lady" by Western media.

The İP leader contended that she can attract votes from the AK Party electorate, who are discontent with Erdoğan but also don't intend to cast their votes for İnce due to political divergences. She said she based her claims upon election polls.

She also implied that pro-Erdoğan media have been promoting İnce to raise his chances against her to qualify for the second round. The second round will be held on July 8 in case no presidential candidate is able to pass the 50 percent election threshold.

On May 4, the center-left CHP announced İnce, who is the party's deputy of northwestern Yalova province, as its candidate for the presidential race after it mulled over the decision for a long time. A strong rival against current CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu from within the party, İnce comes from a moderate conservative background. The 53-year-old deputy is also portrayed as a populist and a pragmatic figure.

Akşener also spoke in an election meeting yesterday in western Afyon province, said that if she had not run for president, the race would have been between former president Abdullah Gül and Erdoğan.

The opposition parties, particularly the CHP and SP, initially tried to recruit Erdoğan's long-time fellow Gül as a joint candidate for the opposition, but had to go it alone after Gül refused the offer and Akşener reportedly insisted on running herself.

The former president announced after failed efforts that he will not run for president, as a wide-ranging consensus was not reached.