23.05.2026 20:10
Claims that some İYİ Party MPs would resign and join MHP were strongly denied. While General Secretary Osman Ertürk Özel emphasized the strong institutional integrity, Hatay MP Şefik Çirkin and İstanbul MP Mustafa Cihan Paçacı stated that the allegations are "desk-based political engineering and perception operations."
Strong denials came from the party's top management and the named deputies regarding claims that 9 members of parliament from the Good Party would switch to the MHP. Good Party Secretary General Osman Ertürk Özel, Hatay Deputy Şefik Çirkin, and Istanbul Deputy Mustafa Cihan Paçacı emphasized in their statements that the party's institutional integrity is stronger than ever.
"WE FOLLOW IMAGINARY BACKROOM TALKS WITH A SMILE"
The first reaction to the claims came from Good Party Secretary General Osman Ertürk Özel. In his statement on social media, Özel pointed to the targeted circles. Stating that those who cannot digest Chairman Dervişoğlu's democratic stance have taken action, Özel used the following expressions:
"Yesterday, circles we consider well-known, who struggle to accept the democratic stance of our Chairman Mr. Müsavat Dervişoğlu, which aligns with the Good Party's history of struggle, political stance, and the expectations of our community, have taken action.
We watch with a smile but attentively those who engage in futile struggles, from imaginary resignations in our party to imaginary 'congress' backroom talks involving actors who have no knowledge of them.
The Good Party's institutional identity and internal integrity are much stronger than ever. We will continue to watch these circles, disturbed by our internal peace, with a smile."
ŞEFİK ÇİRKİN: I AM NOT A GUEST HERE
Good Party Hatay Deputy Şefik Çirkin, whose name was mentioned among those who would switch to the MHP, also described the claims as "the product of a gossip mechanism." Stating that the Good Party is targeted due to its uncompromising stance in the "opening" debates, Çirkin emphasized belonging:
"As someone who has contributed and fought during the establishment process of this political movement, I am not in a temporary position here; I am not a guest. The Good Party is not a structure I joined later; it is a struggle I have been part of and believed in since its founding. Those who build their political calculations on false news and perception operations will ultimately face disappointment."
CIHAN PAÇACI: WE HAVE SEEN SIMILAR SCENARIOS BEFORE
Another figure reacting to the claims, Istanbul Deputy Mustafa Cihan Paçacı, argued that such allegations are managed from a planned center. Reminding that similar "operations" were attempted in the past, Paçacı stated:
"Especially during the start of the opening process, a similar scenario was attempted to create the perception that 15 of our deputies would 'join the MHP.' All of these reports are nothing but political engineering efforts managed from a desk. We are representatives of an understanding that does not surrender Turkish nationalism to daily calculations. The Good Party stands firm, and we will continue the struggle together with our Chairman until the end."