Although the party initially denied having posted the banners and even claimed that it was the work of the government, an investigation by the Interior Ministry revealed that the posters were the work of the Avcılar Municipality, which is under CHP leadership. The banner in question called on voters to say “no” in this Sunday’s constitutional referendum, arguing that a “yes” would mean approving of Turkish women dressing like nuns.Bugün’s Adem Yavuz Arslan, who thinks the posters are the work of an opposition group within the CHP that does not want Kılıçdaroğlu to be successful, says these posters are very likely to give the party a headache for a long time to come. “If you ask me how these posters are relevant to the intraparty conflict within the CHP, I would say there is disharmony between the CHP and Kılıçdaroğlu. If a ‘yes’ vote comes out of the referendum and if the ‘yes’ votes have an overwhelming majority, the CHP will inevitably have to convene a general congress,” he says. Referring to backstage rumors within the CHP, he says there is a group within the party that is doing its best to ensure that Kılıçdaroğlu fails and adds that this group deliberately misinformed Kılıçdaroğlu about the poster issue as the posters were prepared without his knowledge.
Sabah’s Nazlı Ilıcak thinks Kılıçdaroğlu owes Erdoğan an apology for accusing him of being behind the controversial posters. She thinks that although Kılıçdaroğlu is trying to cover it up, there is mentality in the CHP that sees headscarved women as monsters. “Kılıçdaroğlu may dismiss the Avcılar mayor, but how will he act with CHP deputies Canan Arıtman, Necla Arat, Onur Öymen and Secretary-General Önder Sav [who are staunch opponents of the headscarf]?” she asks.
According to Yeni Şafak’s Yasin Aktay, the CHP should not only apologize to headscarved women but also to nuns over the controversial posters. “What I would like to draw attention to here is who has been insulted. Muslim women being likened to nuns seems like an insulting situation for some. When you see the issue from this perspective, the insulted party undoubtedly becomes the nuns, who now deserve an apology. Nuns deserve to be treated with respect because they choose to dress in accordance with their beliefs,” Aktay says.
