2018 Temel Karamollaoğlu presidential campaign explained

Temel Karamollaoğlu for President
Campaigned For:	2018 Turkish presidential election
Candidate:	Temel Karamollaoğlu Leader of Felicity Party (2016–present) Member of the Grand National Assembly (1996-2002) Mayor of Sivas (1989–1995)
Status:	Announced 1 May 2018 Official nominee 6 May 2018
Affiliation:	SP
Slogan:	"Türkiye'ye Bilge Başkan" (A Wise Leader to Turkey).

Temel Karamollaoğlu was nominated as the candidate of the Felicity Party (SP) on 6 May 2018, after he had successfully collected the 100,000 signatures required for minor party candidates to gain ballot access. Karamollaoğlu's campaign adopted the slogan "Türkiye'ye Bilge Başkan" (A Wise Leader to Turkey).^[1]

Program

• Defending “No” for the 2017 Turkish constitutional referendum
  • 18 proposed amendments to the Constitution of Turkey
    (Full details)
• Rejection of joining the European Union
  • End of military ties with Israel and the United States Turkey must adapt its military and foreign policy stance to meet what it argues are increasing threats coming from the West to all Muslim countries
• Turkey should use and protect Erbakan's ideas and philosophy.

Foreign policy

On European Union–Turkey relations, Karamollaoğlu argues that Turkey as a Muslim majority country would never be allowed membership in the EU. He suggests negotiating a privileged partnership with the EU on issues such as trade, investments, travel arrangements, foreign relations and on other political issues similar to that of Norway, or the status Britain is trying to secure.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Türkiye'ye Bilge Başkan! Sosyal medyada gündem Temel Karamollaoğlu. 24 June 2018.
2. Web site: What do Turkey’s other presidential candidates think about the EU?. 30 May 2018. Ahval. Doğa Ulaş Eralp. 31 May 2018. 22 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122184827/https://ahvalnews.com/turkey-elections/what-do-turkeys-other-presidential-candidates-think-about-eu. dead.