TURKEY'S NATIONALIST OPPOSITION TO BACK ERDOGAN IN 2019 ELECTION

Turkey’s nationalist opposition said on Monday it would back President Erdogan in the 2019 election, signaling perpetuated right-wing support crucial to his narrow victory in a constitutional referendum last year.

The Nationalist Movment Party (MHP), the most minute of parliament’s four factions, backed the vote to grant Erdogan sweeping executive power, availing it squeak by with a margin of 51.4 percent.

“The MHP will not submit a presidential candidate,” MHP leader Devlet Bahceli told a news conference. “The MHP will take a decision to support Erdogan in the presidential elections.” Turks will vote for both president and parliament next year.

Bahceli has said he wants a reduction in the minimum 10 percent vote required for a party to enter parliament.

Over the past two decades he has brought the MHP more toward the mainstream and away from its early reputation for ties to rightist street gangs.

The party is now looking to fend off a challenge from Meral Aksener, an ex-interior minister and prominent nationalist who last year founded her own party after breaking with the MHP.

One recent poll suggested that Aksener’s party could eclipse the MHP and deprive it of the 10 percent threshold.

Bahceli said the MHP would consider an alliance with Erdogan’s AK Party if such a request came from the AKP.