Erdoğan tight-lipped on İhsanoğlu’s candidacy, AKP nominee to be announced at end of June

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has refused to comment on the nomination of Ekmelettin İhsanoğlu as the joint opposition presidential candidate, simply stating that the “most valuable evaluation” will be made by the people in the election.

“I do not need to talk about this issue. The candidates are not registered yet. We’ll see at the [election] rallies and we’ll talk about it. The best assessment will be made by the people. Let’s leave this issue to the people,” Erdoğan told reporters on June 16, declining to comment further on the nomination of İhsanoğlu.

Ä°hsanoğolu was elected as the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2004 during the first Erdoğan government. Erdoğan and the then Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül had exerted great effort for his election as the head of the world’s second largest international organization after the U.N.  

Upon questions regarding the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) candidate, the prime minister said the process was still ongoing and that it could last until end of the month. “Let’s first see the opposition’s candidate. We have time until July 3,” he said.

“Our consultations continue. This week we’ll have a meeting with non-governmental organizations at the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges [TOBB]. And then we will have another one with the Turkish Tradesmen’s and Artisans’ Confederation [TESK]. I may also consider visiting some political parties who are not represented at Parliament,” Erdoğan added.

When he was asked whether his consultations with President Abdullah Gül were continuing, he confirmed...