Turkish far-right leader endorses Kilicdaroglu in runoff election
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Umit Ozdag, leader of Turkey’s far-right Victory Party, announced on Wednesday backing opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the runoff election, due on May 28, against the incumbent president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ozdag, whose party received 2.2 percent support in the May 14 parliamentary elections, will back Kilicdaroglu who scored 5 percent less than Erdogan in the first round in which neither candidate managed to pass the required 50 percent. Erdogan secured 49.5 percent while his challenger obtained 44.9 percent.
“We have decided to support Mr. Kilicdaroglu in the second round of the presidential elections,” Ozdag said at a news conference in Ankara with Kilicdaroglu.
This boost from Ozdag comes after Erdogan was endorsed by Sinan Ogan, a politician who secured 5 percent of votes in the May 14 presidential elections, for the runoff vote set to be held on May 28.
The far-right leader said he had set a plan with Kilicdaroglu that involve deporting “13 million refugees and fugitives”, particularly Syrians who comprises nearly 3.7 million of that number, to their home countries within a year “in line with international law and human rights.”
Ozdag’s support comes after Kilicdaroglu promised on May 18 to send 10 million refugees home if he wins the May 28 runoff round. The opposition candidate has adopted a more anti-migrant tone to gain nationalist votes.
Amid growing anti-refugee sentiment in Turkey, Syrian refugees have become a tool exploited by both Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu to win the elections. Unlike the opposition, Erdogan has used more soft language, saying he would encourage the “voluntary return” of these refugees, despite reports that suggest otherwise.