MHP’s Bahçeli Accuses CHP Leader Özgür Özel of Coup Hints

Ankara — Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli used his party’s weekly parliamentary group meeting to level sharp accusations against main-opposition leader Özgür Özel, asking “Are you considering a coup?” after Özel reportedly invoked Egypt as a political example. Bahçeli described the remark as a “grave misstep” and said he welcomed a judicial investigation that has been opened into the Republican People’s Party (CHP) chief. Bahçeli alleged that CHP-controlled municipalities are trapped in “corruption and bribery,” claiming the opposition party has “almost turned into an organised crime syndicate.” He urged prosecutors to pursue any evidence of wrongdoing and warned that attempts to undermine the ballot box with force would be met with resistance. The nationalist leader also paid tribute to the 12 Turkish soldiers killed on 6 July in the Pençe-Kilit cross-border operation against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Saying Turkey is “at the centre of a historic process” aimed at eradicating terrorism, Bahçeli criticised what he called opportunistic efforts to distort national security setbacks for political gain.