Turkey's Gandhi' to lead main center-left opposition party

A man dubbed Turkey's Gandhi' is set to be come the leader of the country's opposition people's Republic Party (CHP) after the resignation of the center-left party's longstanding leader.


The new leader of the Turkey's main opposition is being heralded by much of the media as the Turkish 'Gandhi' Kemel Kiliacdaroglu earned his nickedname because of his slight frame and mild demeanor and tendency to reject ostentation. His election is being heralded as a potential earthquake in Turkish politics.

Sixty-one year-old Kiliacdaroglu was elected leader of the center-left Republican People's party(CHP) with a massive majority. In his first speech Kiliacdaroglu promised to bring his party back to its roots.

"We will fight corruption in a real sense and bring injustice to an end" Kiliacdaroglu said. "We will combat unemployment and poverty from the very begining."

Kemel Kiliacdaroglu's background, too, is very different for turkey politics. He is an Aleui-which means he is a member of a progressive Islamic sect which is often discriminated against by orthodox Muslims in Turkey. He also comes from a predominantly Kurdish region of the country.

In his first speech the committed his party to reducing the ten percent electoral threshold which effectively bars kurdish regional parties from gaining entry in parliament.

Kemel Kiliacdaroglu also has a humble reputation, dressing modestly and preferring public transport to chauffeur-driven limousines. And crueially, in a country continually hit by corruption scandals, he has made his political name exposing high-level government graft, forcing two senior resignations from the ruling justice and development Party(AKP).

NATIONAL ELECTION

An opinion poll published last week suggested that Kiliacdaroglu's appointment would attract more votes. With national elections due next year the ruling A K Party is facing its first serious contender since it came to power eight years ago. Turkish media say that's good for democracy.

It remarks unclear whether Kiliacdaroglu can maintain his political momentum, and critics point out he has given few policy details. Moreover, his quite demeanor could mean he'll wither in the cut and thrust of Turkish politics. But with just over a year to go to general elections, he has a momentum and has given belief back to his party, on which has been out of power for more than 3 decades.