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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo/REUTERS
ANKARA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who describes himself as a defender of traditional Islamic values, has once again referred to the opposition as “LGBT”.
He insists Western liberal ideology will never infiltrate his ruling party or its nationalist allies.
Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council confirmed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s landslide victory over Kemal Kilicdaroglu on Sunday night (28/5/2023).
On the eve of the election, Erdogan has repeatedly accused Kilicdaroglu and his allies of being pro-LGBT, and voiced similar accusations in his victory speech to a jubilant crowd in Istanbul.
Listing factions in his rival six-party National Alliance bloc, and pro-Kurdish political parties, he asked his supporters if they agreed that the CHP, HDP, IYI, and “the few little people beside them” were all “LGBT,” until greeted by cheers from the audience.
“But can LGBT people infiltrate the AK Party? Can it infiltrate the MHP? Can it infiltrate the other members of the People’s Alliance?” Erdogan asked rhetorically.
He said his ruling coalition and its allies would always defend Turkey’s traditional values.
“Every election is a rebirth for us. Family is sacred to us. No one can speak against the family. Violence against women is prohibited, it is forbidden,” he said.
Kilicdaroglu is not an outspoken supporter of gay rights, but has vowed to reinstate the Istanbul Convention if elected.
