Political parties schedule Eid al-Adha visits

ANKARA

Political parties in Türkiye are preparing for Eid al-Adha visits on June 7, the second day of the holiday, with the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) opting out of the traditional celebrations in protest.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will host delegations from a wide range of parties, including the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR), Motherland Party, Democratic Left Party (DSP), Great Unity Party (BBP), İYİ (Good) Party, Patriotic Party and New Path Party.

Two AKP delegations will also pay return visits to these parties. Notably absent from the AKP’s program are the CHP, the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA Party) and the Future Party.

The CHP announced it would not take part in any Eid programs this year in protest of the imprisonment of municipal officials, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

"In such an environment, we as the CHP did not find it right to organize an Eid celebration program," party spokesperson Deniz Yücel said last week.

In a departure from previous years, the MHP will include the DEM Party in its Eid visits.

However, the ruling bloc partner will not visit the İYİ Party. It will exchange visits with the AKP, DSP, Felicity Party, DEVA and the Future Party.

The DEM Party will host the MHP and is also expected to continue holiday visits with other parties. The Future Party will receive delegations from the AKP, Felicity Party, DEVA Party and New Welfare Party (YRP).

The İYİ Party, while excluding the MHP and DEM Party from its Eid program, will welcome an AKP delegation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will spend Eid in Istanbul with his family, while MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli will remain in Ankara.

İYİ Party leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu will be in Ordu, and CHP leader Özgür Özel will spend the first day in Istanbul before traveling to Manisa.

DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları will attend an event in Adana and then travel to Hatay, while her co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan will mark the holiday in Kars.

This year’s Eid visits take place against the backdrop of the government’s "terror-free Türkiye" initiative. The peace process with PKK included the terror group's decision to disband.

The rare dialogue between the MHP and the DEM Party is seen as a product of this initiative, while the İYİ Party remains the only major parliamentary party opposed to the process.