A tweet published by the nationalist Turkish politician Sinan Ogan – who finished third in the first round of the presidential elections – sparked wide interactions, as politicians await an imminent announcement by the presidential candidate regarding his position on the candidates for the second round in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu are competing. .
Ogan, who defected from the nationalist movement, the party allied with President Erdogan’s camp, won 5.17% of the vote, according to the non-final official results of the first round that took place on May 14.
He explained that they now have the ability to outweigh the winner in the second round, while causing the elections to reach the second round, adding that their movement has now made sure that the candidates who reached the second round adopt their rhetoric.
Observers believe that Ogan’s guidance to the voters who cast their votes for him in the first round in favor of one of the candidates in the second round could have a significant impact on determining the identity of Turkey’s next president, while others believe that he does not have such influence.
Ogan concluded his tweet, saying, “Keep watching Monday,” referring to his decision, which is expected to be announced today, Monday, through which he will reveal his support for any candidate in the second round, and thus invite his supporters to support that candidate.
Ogan’s speech sparked widespread speculation and reactions, especially among the category of Turkish journalists whose tweets were conflicting, as the Turkish journalist Şeban Sevenc confirmed that Sinan Ogan would announce his support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and said that he had contacted Umit Ozdag, head of the Zafar Party – Ogan’s ally in the ancestral alliance – personally and confirmed it.
However, Fatih Al-Taili, a journalist who supports the Republican People’s Party, to which Kilicdaroglu belongs, had a different opinion, as he said, “We just spoke with Sinan Ogan and he said we had consultations with the two leaders, but we have not made a decision yet. We will announce our decision on Monday.”
While the closest and largest journalists supporting the opposition suggested that Sinan Ogan support President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the well-known journalist Fatih Portakal said, “I think that Sinan Ogan’s mind is on Erdogan’s side, even if his heart is not like that. I call it future planning in politics, when I look at him rationally that I’m on the leader’s side! It’s not wrong either.”
