Saadet Party Leader Arıkan Visits Yeniden Refah Party Leader Erbakan in Ankara
Ankara, January 28 – Saadet Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan and his accompanying delegation visited Yeniden Refah Party Chairman Fatih Erbakan at the Yeniden Refah Party Headquarters in Ankara. The meeting, closed to the press, lasted for approximately one hour. Following the discussions, both Arıkan and Erbakan made statements to the press.
Erbakan stated that they addressed national and regional issues, emphasizing the need for stronger and more intensive dialogue between the two parties in the future. He expressed hope that the visit and subsequent meetings would lead to beneficial outcomes.
Erbakan Addresses Municipality Transfers and Party Growth
Erbakan also commented on the transfer of all six municipalities won by the Yeniden Refah Party in Konya to the AK Party. He claimed that these transfers were a result of a desire for revenge against the Yeniden Refah Party, following President Erdoğan’s remarks to ‘shake them up’. Erbakan asserted that the mayors faced significant political blackmail and, due to these pressures or promised benefits, failed to uphold the will of the people.
He further noted that this phenomenon is not unique to the Yeniden Refah Party, citing instances of mayors and deputies from other opposition parties, including the CHP, joining the ruling AK Party due to the power and pressure of the government. Despite these transfers, Erbakan highlighted the significant growth of the Yeniden Refah Party, which had 520,000 members before the March 31 local elections and now boasts nearly 655,000 members. He affirmed that the departure of a few mayors would not negatively impact their progress, as the party has gained over 130,000 new members and continues to advance steadily towards its goals.
Arıkan on Pensioners’ Plight and Signature Campaign
Saadet Party Chairman Arıkan, in his statement, addressed the signature campaign launched regarding pensioners’ issues. He recalled that as the Saadet Party Chairman, he had submitted a legislative proposal at the beginning of the year concerning pensioners. This proposal aimed to raise the lowest pension to the minimum wage level and increase other pensions proportionally based on their premium payments. The bill is currently awaiting deliberation in the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
To amplify the impact of this call, a signature campaign was initiated, garnering support from over 1.214 million people. Arıkan criticized the government’s detachment from societal needs, pointing out that during last week’s discussions on pensions in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, everything but the actual pension amounts was debated. He described the session as filled with arguments, noise, and grandiloquent statements, culminating in pensioners being confined to approximately 20,000 Turkish Liras.
Arıkan further noted that the ruling party cited a lack of resources, requesting more patience from pensioners. He questioned how many more 23-year periods pensioners, who have already endured 23 years of hardship, would need to wait to achieve a humane standard of living.
The meeting underscores ongoing political dynamics and challenges in Turkey, particularly concerning local governance, economic pressures on pensioners, and inter-party relations ahead of future elections.
