Kilicdaroglu suffered 12 defeats in 14 years

FERHAT EKINCI'S NEWS FROM TÜRKİYE GAZETESİ - Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the CHP chairman and presidential candidate of the National Alliance, has suffered his 12th electoral defeat. In the first round of the presidential elections, Kilicdaroglu made warm messages to the HDP in order to gain its support, but when he was slapped by nationalist voters, he made a sharp change of rhetoric before the runoff and played to the nationalist vote. Despite making statements targeting Qandil and sending sms messages until the last hours that concerned many segments of the population from loan debts to wheat prices, he could not avoid defeat. The CHP leader suffered his 12th defeat in 14 years.

In the November 3, 2002 elections, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who entered the parliament as a CHP Istanbul deputy, lost all the elections he participated in. Kilicdaroglu, who suffered his first defeat in the 2009 local elections, lost all the elections against President Erdogan after he became CHP chairman in 2010 following the videotape scandal that resulted in Deniz Baykal's resignation. 

Here is the history of Kilicdaroglu's defeats:

IT STARTED WITH ISTANBUL

Kilicdaroglu ran against AK Party candidate Kadir Topbas in the March 29, 2009 local elections. Topbas was elected mayor with 44.7 percent of the vote, while the CHP candidate Kilicdaroglu received 37 percent.

2010 REFERENDUM

Kılıcdaroglu, who took the helm of the CHP in 2010, participated in his first election as the party's leader in the referendum. In the September 12, 2010 constitutional referendum, 54.87 percent voted 'yes', while the 'no' side, including the CHP, received 45.13 percent.

2011 ELECTIONS

In the June 12, 2011 parliamentary elections, the AK Party came first with 49.83 percent and the CHP came second with 25.98 percent.

2014 LOCAL ELECTIONS

In the March 30, 2014 municipal elections, the AK Party was again the first party with 43.32 percent and the CHP was the second party with 25.59 percent.

2014 PRESIDENCY

In the August 10, 2014 presidential elections, the MHP and CHP jointly nominated Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu. Running against AK Party candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ihsanoglu lost the election. Erdogan was elected President with 51.8 percent of the vote, while Ihsanoğlu, supported by the CHP, came second with 38.45 percent.

JUNE 7, 2015 ELECTIONS

In the June 7, 2015 parliamentary elections, the AK Party came first with 40.87 percent of the vote and the CHP came second with 24.95 percent. Despite receiving the highest number of votes, the AK Party could not find enough MPs to form a government on its own, and coalition talks were held. After unfavorable negotiations, the elections were repeated.

NOVEMBER 1 ELECTIONS

Following the decision to hold elections, Türkiye went to the polls again on November 1, 2015. The AK Party came first with 49.49 percent and the CHP came second with 25.31 percent, maintaining its position as the main opposition.

2017 REFERENDUM

The constitutional amendment package prepared by the AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for the transition to the Presidential Government System was presented to the citizens. On April 16, 2017, 51.71 percent voted yes and 48.59 percent voted no in the constitutional referendum. CHP suffered defeat in this referendum as well.

2018 ELECTIONS

Following the transition to the Presidential Government System, presidential and parliamentary elections were held together. In the general election held on June 24, 2018, Erdogan became the president with 52.59 percent of the vote, while Muharrem Ince, supported by the CHP, came second with 30.64 percent. In the parliamentary elections, the AK Party became the first party with 42.56 percent of the vote. The CHP remained at 22.64 percent.

2019 ELECTIONS

In the March 31, 2019 local elections, the AK Party again won many municipalities. The AK Party became the first party with 44.33 percent, while the CHP received 30.12 percent of the vote.

MAY 14 ELECTIONS

Kilicdaroglu suffered another defeat in the parliamentary elections held on May 14. The AK Party received 35.61 percent of the vote, while the CHP came in second with 25.33 percent. In the first round, President Erdogan, the candidate of the People's Alliance, came first with 49.52 percent and Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the candidate of the National Alliance, came second with 44.88 percent. As required by the Presidential Government System, no candidate was able to fulfill the 50 percent criterion in the first round, so run-off elections were held.

AND MAY 28... 

Kilicdaroglu suffered his last defeat yesterday. In the runoff of the presidential elections, Erdogan took the lead with 52 percent, while Kilicdaroglu suffered his 12th defeat.

PAINFUL DAYS AWAIT

Following the election defeat, CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu is facing painful days. Kilicdaroglu, who has become the target of criticism especially after giving 40 parliamentary seats to small parties whose vote totals did not even reach 1 percent, is expected to come under increasing pressure to resign in the coming days. Kilicdaroglu recently signaled that he would not resign by saying "Don't worry, we will win in the runoff" when asked in a YouTube program he participated in, "If you lose in the runoff, will you resign as the chairman of the Republican People's Party?"

Source: turkiyegazetesi.com.tr