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Turkish opposition leader: Democracy is our common goal

July 20, 2016 at 10:51 am

Leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu

‬Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, head of the Turkish Republican People’s Party (CHP), the largest opposition party in Turkey, said that democracy should be the common goal, adding that the coup attempt targeted Turkey’s democratic system, according to Anadolu news agency.

He said: “Democracy should be our common goal regardless of anyone’s opinion, faith and lifestyle.”

Kılıçdaroğlu added: “The attempted coup targeted the parliamentary democratic system. People who tried to ruin the democratic system were disappointed.”

The comments were made during a speech before his party’s parliamentary bloc on Tuesday, where he commented on the failed coup attempt during which he stressed that “democracy cannot be suspended for any reason”.

He stressed that the defence of democracy and the struggle for it is their primary mission, noting that Turkey has paid an exorbitant price for democracy.

Kılıçdaroğlu explained that the “free parliamentary system succeeded to prevent the coup”, referring to the fact that MPs spent the night of the coup attempt at the parliament premises. He considered the Turkish MPs’ willingness to remain inside the parliament despite the risks as stemming from their commitment to democracy.