Main opposition CHP mayors Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş have met with İYİ Party chair Meral Akşener before the meeting of the Nation Alliance leaders who will today announce their joint candidate for the 2023 presidential elections. A spokesperson of İYİ Party said that Akşener will be back in the alliance if the two CHP mayors take on the role of vice presidents in the new cabinet. Duvar English reports on March 6, 2023.
Minutes before the March 6 meeting between the leaders of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Felicity Party (SP), DEVA Party, Future Party and Democratic Party (DP), Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş visited İYİ (Good) Party Chair Meral Akşener.
Last week, Akşener announced her departure from the opposition Nation Alliance due to CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s expected candidacy for the 2023 presidential elections. She said that she would be in the alliance if CHP’s Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş would be instead nominated for the role.
On March 6, İmamoğlu and Yavaş visited Akşener at the İYİ Party headquarters. After the meeting, İYİ Party spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu announced that Akşener will participate in the Nation Alliance leaders meeting that was scheduled to start at 4 p.m. local time on March 6 and will return to the alliance if İmamoğlu and Yavaş are included in the new cabinet as vice presidents.
Yavaş and İmamoğlu are also participating at the Nation Alliance meeting which is taking place at the Felicity Party headquarters.
At the last moment, Akşener came to the Felicity Party headquarters to participate in the alliance meeting.