Turkey marked the 102nd anniversary of the Republic with fresh signs of political realignment — reminiscent of the symbolic gestures seen during Parliament’s opening earlier this month. While the chairs of Gelecek Party and DEVA Party, both breakaway movements from the AKP, attended the Presidential Palace reception for the first time, the MHP opted to stay away.
Talks on a possible merger among conservative parties are also ongoing.
MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli did not accompany President Erdoğan either at the ceremony in Atatürk’s Mausoleum or at the evening reception. Some pro-government journalists said Bahçeli was following medical advice to avoid crowded venues, but his entire party’s absence from the presidential reception did not go unnoticed.
Amid reports of tension within the AKP-MHP alliance, Bahçeli’s chief adviser Eyyüp Yıldız shared on X the photo of a painting sent by Bahçeli featuring President Erdoğan’s portrait, signature, and the presidential seal — a move interpreted as a message of loyalty.
A high-level source from the MHP told Turkey in Depth that Bahçeli’s reaction was due to the AKP’s stance on the results of the Northern Cyprus elections.
“We would not be in a place that our chair did not attend,” said the source, recalling Bahçeli’s swift and clear objection to a federation in northern Cyprus. “The AKP did not understand Bahçeli’s stance and they consecutively released congratulatory messages. They did not hear Bahçeli’s nuances and acted as if he had not spoken on the issue.”
The source added that Bahçeli’s remarks on a Turkish-Russian and Chinese alliance also empowered the government while visiting the White House.
A DIFFERENT PHOTO AT THE PRESIDENCY
Neither the CHP nor the İYİ Party chairs attended the reception, while the DEM Party was reportedly not invited despite earlier hints of renewed dialogue on the peace process. However, Erdoğan received the party’s İmralı delegation on Oct. 30.
In a notable shift, Gelecek Party Chair Ahmet Davutoğlu and DEVA Party Chair Ali Babacan — who had not even been invited to the AKP’s public holiday receptions— joined the event, as they joined the gathering for the opening of the new legislative year on Oct. 1. YRP Chair Fatih Erbakan and Saadet Party Chair Mahmut Arıkan were also among the attendees.
Photos from the evening showed a lengthy conversation between Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek and his predecessor, Babacan.
According to Halk TV, their discussion reportedly touched on the recent U.S. visit, the IMF and World Bank meetings, as well as Turkey’s pressing economic issues, including food inflation, rent, and housing prices. Babacan was quoted as asking, “How was your U.S. trip?” to which Şimşek responded by detailing the topics raised at the meetings.
CONSERVATIVE PARTIES IN SEARCH OF MERGER
YRP Chair Fatih Erbakan confirmed on Oct. 29 ongoing talks with Gelecek Party and Saadet Party on a new political alliance outside Turkey’s polarized system.
Speaking at a joint press conference after meeting with Gelecek Party Chair Ahmet Davutoğlu, Erbakan did not deny reports of a possible merger. “We have been in contact with the Gelecek Party for a long time and are also holding talks with the Saadet Party. We aim to build an alternative that can offer hope to the nation beyond the two-bloc politics in Turkey,” he said.
Davutoğlu also refrained from denying the merger discussions, emphasizing that the meetings have not focused on power-sharing. “We have not negotiated positions or titles. We share a common determination to build a third way — a new alternative that can overcome the current political fragmentation,” he noted.
Both chairs signaled that their contacts would continue in the coming weeks.
Gelecek, DEVA, and Saadet Parties formed the New Path Group (Yeni Yol Grubu) in Parliament to establish a parliamentary group and have representation in commissions.
After the change in its leader, the CHP closed the door on a political alliance, saying it would search for an alliance among voters.
DAVUTOĞLU LISTS CONDITIONS FOR RETURN
Davutoğlu said he would accept the vice presidency if offered.
Speaking to NOW TV, he said that if the state was in trouble and the economy was on the verge of bankruptcy and he was invited to restore the state, he would not hesitate at all.
However, Davutoğlu emphasized that he would not accept a purely symbolic position, saying, “What matters to me is a balance between authority and responsibility. Contributing to the rebuilding of the state is statesmanship.”
Davutoğlu said that after the president, he knows the state best and would take on the job as if it were a national service.
BABACAN HAS NO INTENTION OF RETURNING
DEVA Party Chair Babacan is not part of the talks and said he has no intention of returning to the AKP.
Babacan told Akit TV that he had no hard feelings or resentment toward Erdoğan, but that they disagreed on how the country should be governed.
Giving his talks with the CHP as an example, Babacan stated that they would not categorically close the door on anyone but so far they have not seen any desire for change in the system from Erdoğan or the AKP administration.
In another statement to journalists, Babacan denied claims that he would return to the AKP.
Stating that Turkey should not be condemned to a two-party political system, Babacan emphasized that his party, together with the New Path Group of which it is a member, would pursue a third way in politics.
Referring to comments made about the photo taken with Erdoğan at the opening of Parliament, Babacan said that after leaving the AKP, he met face-to-face with Erdoğan for the first time on Oct. 1 and had spoken with him three times on the phone before that.
