Nation Alliance (Turkey)

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The Nation Alliance^[2] (Turkish: Millet İttifakı), or simply Nation (Turkish: Millet), is an electoral alliance in Turkey, formed to contest the country's 2018 general election. The alliance was officially launched on 1 May 2018, and consists of four opposition parties, namely the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Good Party (İYİ), the Felicity Party (SP), and the Democratic Party (DP).^[3] The constituent parties of the Nation Alliance contested the parliamentary election under a common banner, while each individual party nominated its own candidate for the presidential election.

Formed against the backdrop of the 2017 constitutional referendum and subsequent constitutional amendments, the Nation Alliance brings together groups that campaigned for a "no" vote against the transition to a presidential system, and that are in opposition to the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.^[4] As such, the Nation Alliance is seen as rivalling the pro-government People's Alliance,^[5] which was established on 20 February 2018.

On 4 July, having won 189 seats in total, the İYİ Party General Secretary Aytun Çıray announced that the Nation Alliance had been dissolved, citing the lack of a need for a post-election alliance.^[6] In response, the CHP's spokesperson Bülent Tezcan said that the election alliance was no longer technically necessary, but the union of alliance parties under a joint set of fundamental values (such as separation of powers and the rule of law) would continue.^[7]

History[]

Formation[]

A constitutional referendum was held in April 2017 on transforming the political system of Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential one. The referendum was sponsored by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the smaller oppositional Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The referendum ultimately passed, effectively triggering the country's systemic transition. Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People's Party, along with MHP dissidents like Meral Akşener, voiced strong opposition to the constitutional amendments. When the AKP and MHP later legalized the formation of pre-election alliances in order to contest the 2018 general election together, speculation arose over the possibility of opposition groups also establishing an alliance. After several rounds of talks, the CHP announced on 1 May 2018 the formation of its alliance with Akşener's new Good Party, as well as with the extraparliamentary Felicity and Democratic parties.

Composition[]

Founding members[]

Supporting parties[]

On 18 May, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) announced that they would support the Nation Alliance.^[15]

İnce was supported by the YP,^[16] ANAP,^[17] the TİYAP, the KP, the EYP, the BTP, the MMP, the MHHP, the Unity Party of Turkey, the United Turkey Party and the GAP^[18] and Akşener was supported by the DSP and the DYP (Muğla branch)^[19] for the presidential election.

Current members[]

Election results[]

General elections[]

Grand National Assembly of Turkey

Election	Leaders	Votes			Seats		Government
		#	%	Rank	#	±
2018	Meral Akşener Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Temel Karamollaoğlu Gültekin Uysal	16,347,669	33,95	2nd	189 / 600	47	AKP

Local elections[]

References[]