Bahçeli rebukes journalist over question on alleged disagreements with Erdoğan on Kurds

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli rebuked journalist Hilal Köylü after she questioned whether he and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held differing views regarding Turkey’s approach to the Kurdish issue. Bahçeli told the journalist to consider leaving the profession.

The exchange occurred as Bahçeli spoke to reporters after leaving his party’s group meeting yesterday. Köylü asked him, “Is there any disagreement between you and President Erdoğan on the issue of the resolution process?” Bahçeli initially did not respond, prompting Köylü to repeat her question. Bahçeli then replied sharply, saying, “Let me tell my friends in the media to avoid provoking Turkey with divisive, misleading questions. If you can’t, you should leave the profession. Go on, give it up.”

This is not the first time Bahçeli has responded to a journalist in this manner, though Köylü appeared unfazed. After receiving support on social media, she wrote, “Thank you, everyone. As always, I only did my duty.”

The video with implicit messages

Later in the day, the MHP circulated a video montage on its official social media accounts featuring Bahçeli in various poses, along with the caption, “The time has come, it’s a matter of the homeland.”

The video included Bahçeli’s remarks on loyalty to the nation, with phrases such as, “Sometimes you are left alone, and even those closest to you don’t understand,” and “Being a nationalist means standing against the world for your country.” Such remarks further fueled speculations about the alleged disagreements within the ruling alliance.

VAKİT TAMAMDIR
SÖZ KONUSU VATANDIR… pic.twitter.com/pdJ1lGIEbD

— MHP (@MHP_Bilgi) November 12, 2024

Speculation about a possible divide between Bahçeli and Erdoğan emerged after Bahçeli’s statements on the Kurdish issue, which triggered a public debate about a potential new peace process since early October. Bahçeli’s unexpected moves included a repeated call for imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan to declare the group’s disbandment from parliament, potentially leading to his release under a “right to hope” policy. President Erdoğan has described Bahçeli’s proposal as a “historic opportunity” for national unity.

However, the government removed three pro-Kurdish mayors from their posts on Nov 4, replacing them with trustees, which led to rumors that there might have been a disagreement with Erdoğan’s AKP and the MHP as to how to handle the issue. Some reports claimed that Erdoğan was unaware of Bahçeli’s call regarding Öcalan beforehand and was unsettled by the move. Nevertheless, some observers suggest this may not signal a serious rift within the ruling alliance, viewing the takeover of pro-Kurdish municipalities as part of a ‘carrot and stick’ strategy.

(VK)