Turkey elections: Presidential candidate Muharrem İnce withdraws from the election

Muharrem İnce, chairman of the Homeland Party, who was one of the 4 candidates competing in the 14 May presidential elections, announced his withdrawal from the election race.

Making a statement to journalists at the headquarters of his party at 14.00 today, İnce said, "I withdraw from the presidential candidacy."
Before İnce's announcement, party members gathered in front of the Homeland Party and chanted slogans such as "İnce is the president" and "Stand tall, don't bend, your children are with you". Speaking here, İnce first explained the duties he took in his political life. Ince also evaluated the allegations against him in recent weeks. Ince said, "What I have seen in the last 45 days, I have not seen in the last 45 years. Fake receipts, non-existent brother-in-laws, non-existent images... He takes the image from an Israeli porn site and puts my head on it, this is done by FETÖ members. The police, prosecutors and newspapers of this country did not mention this. For 45 days there has been an assassination of reputation. The police do not find it, the prosecutor does not do his duty, journalists do not write about it, and those who do write about it write as if they are partners of FETÖ members."

Stating that the state of the Republic of Turkey could not protect its reputation, İnce said, "I do not understand why the prosecutors of this country did not come out while such an assassination of reputation was being carried out. Everything is obvious," he said.
Ince stated that the Homeland Party should definitely be in the Parliament and continued his speech as follows: "On one side there is the AK Party, the CHP,  the Saadet. Kemalists will be in the minority. Turkey's insurance is the Homeland Party. I want one vote from each house. I am addressing those who say that those slanders cannot be withdrawn because they received money from the palace. I am not afraid of these conspiracies and jeeps. Will he pay back the money? I am withdrawing from candidacy. I am doing this for my homeland."

With İnce's withdrawal, there are 3 presidential candidates left to compete on 14 May: Current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate of the National Alliance, of which the main opposition CHP party is a component, and Sinan Oğan, the candidate of the Ata Alliance. (EVRENSEL DAILY)