Erdoğan-Bahçeli surprise meeting amid calls for “normalization”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with his ruling partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader, Devlet Bahçeli, at the Presidential Complex on May 10, marking a significant encounter amidst ongoing political dialogues against the backdrop of calls for political ‘normalization’.

The 1-hour meeting between Erdoğan and Bahçeli followed their last rendezvous on April 29.

The last meeting came just after the announcement of a pivotal gathering of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel and President Erdoğan that happened on May 2.

Subsequent to the Özel-Erdoğan meeting, the political sphere witnessed a resurgence in discussions around ‘normalization’, coinciding with AKP’s strides towards constitutional reform. Tensions simmered over the Gezi Park trial detainees and the prolonged detention of Osman Kavala.

It was noteworthy that the meeting came in the wake of the controversy over the inclusion of MHP-related names in the indictment in the case related to the murder of Sinan Ateş, the former head of the Grey Wolves’ Hearth.

Özel visits Bahçeli amid “normalization” discussion

In a surprising turn of events on May 7, CHP Leader Özel paid a surprising visit to MHP leader Bahçeli at the party’s headquarters at the parliament.

However, preceding the encounter, Bahçeli’s critique of Özel, recounting an incident at the European Parliament, where the CHP leader’s inquiry about the time was met with a demand to ‘First release Kavala,’ raised questions about the “normalization” efforts.

Bahçeli’s asserted that ‘No institution, authority, or person can exert influence over the judiciary in the Gezi Trial.’

MHP is a ruling partner of the AKP in “People’s Alliance” that marked Turkish politics in the last decade.

Erdoğan’s re-visit to the CHP

President Erdoğan, speaking to journalists post his Iraq visit, said there are no request from CHP Leader Özel regarding the anticipated return visit to the CHP he previously announced.

Erdoğan emphasized, ‘Upon arranging this meeting, the discussion around constitutional reform will naturally feature prominently.’

Furthermore, he expressed the belief that ‘It is imperative for leaders to explore avenues within the confines of our current constitution, which presents considerable limitations.’ He extended an invitation to Özel, stating, ‘Should his visit materialize, it would be prudent to engage in these discussions.’