Here is the translation of the provided text: "Kılıçdaroğlu's statement after years from Özdağ: 'If I lose the election, so be it.'"

18.08.2025 15:40

The leader of the Victory Party, Ümit Özdağ, claimed that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the then leader of the CHP, did not want to win the election in 2023, with whom he had collaborated. Özdağ stated, "I told him that if you do not highlight my Ministry of Interior, you will lose this election. Kılıçdaroğlu responded to my warning by saying, 'If I lose, so be it.'"

Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ stated about his meetings with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the second round of the 2023 elections, "Kemal Bey did not want to win the election in 2023, I told him this during the coalition meeting, and he replied to me, 'If I lose, I lose.'

A PROTOCOL HAD BEEN SIGNED BEFORE THE ELECTION

The presidential elections held in 2023 went to a second round, and the opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu had one-on-one meetings with many party leaders. One of these leaders was Victory Party Leader Ümit Özdağ. According to later information that emerged between Kılıçdaroğlu and Özdağ, a protocol was signed, and the protocol included items such as Özdağ being given the Ministry of Interior and the continuation of the trustee policy, which shook the agenda.

THE PROTOCOL SIGNED WITH KILIÇDAROĞLU WAS ASKED

Cansu Çamlıbel from T24 conducted an interview with Ümit Özdağ. In the interview, Özdağ was asked about his thoughts on the process. Özdağ, who provided a broad evaluation of the process, was also asked whether he regretted the protocol signed with Kılıçdaroğlu in the 2023 presidential elections.

"IF YOU DO NOT PUT MY MINISTRY OF INTERIOR FORWARD, YOU WILL LOSE"

Özdağ stated that they took a correct step regarding the protocol, but emphasized that a candidate who does not want to win cannot be made to win. Özdağ used the following expressions; "I told him this. I said that if you do not put my Ministry of Interior forward, you will lose this election. Because the voter who will vote in the second round wants to see you take over the presidency from Erdoğan, not me taking over the Ministry of Interior from Süleyman Soylu. Kılıçdaroğlu responded to my warning by saying, 'If I lose, I lose.'