Kılıçdaroğlu adds insult to injury on election trail

Speaking at a party rally in Balıkesir on Thursday, the CHP leader asked the audience gathered at Kuvvai Milliye Square what other previous government had to import sheep into Turkey, alluding to a decision by the Ministry of Agriculture to allow the importing of sheep and cattle in time for Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice. Following repeated cries of “Angus Recep” from the crowd in response to his question, Kılıçdaroğlu went on to draw an analogy between Erdoğan and the Angus breed of cattle. “You all know the Angus. You know who the Angus is, who the Anguses are,” he said.

Following his offensive analogy, Kılıçdaroğlu continued his criticism in reference to the importing of livestock into Turkey. “If you are allowing imported sheep into this country, this means you are killing the breeder and the producer. There was a time when Turkey could not only provide for itself but it would also export livestock to the Middle East. How is it that Turkey, which once fed the Middle East, has been importing sheep for the past nine years? There is a problem here,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu then went on to criticize a “crazy project” for a second canal for İstanbul that Erdoğan unveiled on Wednesday, claiming that the project was not one that was people oriented and asserted that the CHP was not seeking any crazy projects. Earlier this week, Kılıçdaroğlu used his Twitter account to insult the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). “It is irresponsible to dig up İstanbul when there aren't adequate roads to take children from their villages to their schools. That they were crazy was obvious, but we didn't know they were insane,” he wrote.

Addressing crowds at a Zonguldak rally on Monday, Kılıçdaroğlu had nearly let slip an expletive against Erdoğan, in an inappropriate reference to his mother. The CHP leader almost used a swear word but stopped at the last minute, although his utterance of the first few letters was enough to get the message across. He has come under a barrage of criticism for bringing down the level of political discourse.

Continuing his election campaign in Konya on Tuesday, Kılıçdaroğlu merely smiled at fellow party members who kept urging him on to say the entire word during the party rally.

Commenting on a recent adoption by political party leaders of more ferocious discourse during the election campaign, President Abdullah Gül said on Tuesday that such heated messages prior to the elections posed a threat for Turkey. “Wounds caused by words are harder to repair than wounds caused by the sword. Reciprocally harsh messages are dangerous for Turkey,” the president said.

Tensions have recently been running high in Turkish politics with the leaders of Turkey's three man political parties -- the AK Party, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the CHP -- using increasingly stronger words against each other as the June 12 elections draw near.

In a rally in the Erdekli district of Balıkesir, the CHP leader accused the prime minister of working against the interests of the nation. Addressing Erdoğan, Kılıçdaroğlu said: “You are not working for the [good of the] nation. I am saying this very clearly.”

Meanwhile on Friday, Erdoğan responded to Kılıçdaroğlu's claims that the Kanal İstanbul project was not person-oriented. “They said there are no people in this project. Where else are people meant to be? This [project entails] a service for the people. There will be tens of thousands of people employed here. Do you not see the potential houses, exhibition centers and offices? Who will be job holders here? People. Those [making the criticism] are so out of touch with the people that they cannot share in their excitement,” he said.

Also responding to the remarks that Kılıçdaroğlu directed at him on Thursday, Erdoğan said that it is not possible for the leader of a political party to win the favor of the people, or even his own electorate, by using insulting language and overstepping the boundaries of propriety. “Whatever they do or say, we will not stoop to their level and use the kind of language they are using. We have embraced the manners of our people and will continue this process without losing their respect,” he said.

The prime minister also commented on the Transition to Higher Education Examination (YGS), the results of which were announced on Thursday, saying that some media organs and the opposition used the cheating allegations to attack the ruling AK Party. “When there is not one person benefiting from this, the use of these [allegations] day and night just amounts to gutter politics,” he added.