CHP Chairman and Nation Alliance Presidential Candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Speaks at the CHP Group Meeting at the Grand Nation Assembly of Turkey

CHP Chairman and National Alliance Presidential Candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu:

- "You have decided to walk with Mr. Kemal; you have chosen this path. I have written this choice of yours in my heart; keep it somewhere in your memory. Mr. Kemal has real friends like you. You know the truth, you know, friends. Walking with Mr. Kemal is a matter of heart more than the mind, and you have that great heart. This is Mr. Kemal's chance, your big heart."

- "Dear friends, dear friends; we will eat big food but not say big words any more. Let my friends know that if we are going to die, we will die out of love for this homeland, and one day all this will pass, and the dawn will break with a sweet smile. We will look at each other, embrace each other; we will say we have succeeded. Forgive me, my friends. Let's go!"

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Chairman of the Republican People's Party and Presidential Candidate of the National Alliance, said the following in his speech at the CHP Group Meeting of the Turkish Grand National Assembly:

I would like you to listen to me carefully, and I will deliver a short speech, dear friends.

Mr Chairmen, you have honoured me and given me pride and honour. You have made a great deal of effort, and I respectfully bow to your effort.

WE WILL REBUILD THAT BEAUTIFUL, GLORIOUS AND MARVELOUS TURKEY

Dear friends, all my citizens watching us on television; wherever you live in this geography, I want you to live in peace, I want the country to be fertile, I want friendships to be timeless, I want us to salute each other from the bottom of our hearts even if we don't know each other. For a new beginning, I want us to overcome all the difficulties we have together and collectively, and when we do this, we will rebuild that beautiful, glorious and wonderful Turkey. I want you to be sure of this, and I want you to be confident.

I will make a concise speech today. I am here today to say goodbye to our group podium, this podium. It was not easy for me to write these lines. It is not easy to leave all our experiences behind and say goodbye to this podium. This hall and podium are my home; you are my travelling companions. I want to look at you from this podium for the last time. Thank you, welcome; you have honoured me!

Dear friends, I know it is easy to be a companion of the palace. There is money; there are coins; there is glory; there is fame; there is power; there is arrogance; there is surrender to the breath; there is surrender to the ego; it is illicit; there is sin; the corridors of that palace stink of cruelty.

I AM HONORED AND PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS MY COMPANIONS, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

Being Mr. Kemal's companion is challenging; it is tough. Mr. Kemal's companion is agonizing. It is a long, thin and narrow road, full of dangers; anything can happen to you at any moment. Every morning you leave your families, saying, "What if?". Mr. Kemal has no money and no palace. Anything can happen to him, and any perception can be made about him, but I still have the honour and dignity to walk on Mr. Kemal's path. We will walk together.

You have decided to walk with Mr. Kemal and choose this path. I have written your choice in my heart; keep it in your memory. Mr. Kemal has genuine friends like you. You know the truth, you know real friendship. Walking with Mr. Kemal is a work of heart more than mind; you have that great heart. This is Mr. Kemal's luck, your huge heart.

You have always held your heads high, you have never allowed the darkness to cover you and today, we are very close to overthrowing the oppressors; believe it. I am honoured and proud to have companions like you. What can I say? God bless you all, and God forgive me!

I AM REALLY HOPEFUL, FRIENDS, GENUINELY HOPEFUL!

Don't look at those courtiers who seem to have everything, but they have nothing; their souls are tarnished. We have everything, and we have a heart, we have a big heart, we have a huge heart that beats for the oppressed. This podium is where the cries of those oppressed people have been heard for years, and this microphone is where their pain is conveyed to the masses, to the whole of Turkey. This is the last time, my friends; I am speaking on behalf of the dignity of our people and the fate of our democracy. I am hopeful, friends; I am genuinely hopeful!

Because every day, I dream of a world where everyone in Turkey will wake up as if renewed; I think of the winds that will move our sails, and I dream of those free birds flying towards us. We will do this madness together, my friends; we will do it together.

MERAL LADY IS BRAVE

We will do this madness together with Meral Akşener, the President of the IYI Party. Because Ms. Meral is brave, she fights excellent battles, and I want this to be known, and I want this to be well-known. She knows the mother's embrace well and how to bang her fist on the table when the time comes. I want all my friends and colleagues to know I am grateful to her.

At the first difference of opinion, some people, people who did not know him at all, said things that should not have been told. I swear you never knew her; get to know her. I must also say that I know very well that she will put her fist on the table if necessary, but I also know that he sometimes has an idealist (ülkücü) streak.

TEMEL BEY IS BRAVE AND WISE

We will finish this madness with Mr. Temel Karamollaoğlu, the Chairman of the Felicity Party. Mr. Temel is wise, Mr. Temel is brave. The path of the one whose heart is full of courage is always bright. This wise man continues to brighten the direction of Turkey. He is an essential political actor and a wise man we should all know well. Therefore, we send him our greetings and respect.

AHMET BEY WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO RECOVER THIS PROCESS

We will end this madness with Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Chairman of the Future Party. Mr. Ahmet has a solid intellectual background. He is one of the people who put this process together. We are back on track, and this leader has not slept for days. I want you to know, for God's sake, to get to know him closely; he is also a precious person who has contributed to the solution.

WITH ALİ BABACAN AND THIS YOUNG LEADER, WE WILL END TURKEY'S DESPAIR

We will finish this madness with Ali Babacan, the leader of the DEVA Party. We will end Turkey's despair with this young leader. With him, we will work hard for this country. I want you to know; I want you to get to know him too.

GÜLTEKİN UYSAL IS A COURAGEOUS, BRAVE AND YOUNG LEADER

We will end this madness with Mr. Gültekin, the Chairman of the Democratic Party. He has the youth of Menderes and Demirel on his face and heart; he walks in the darkness. I want you to know that he is a brave, courageous and young leader.

MY SON EKREM İMAMOĞLU...

There are two more people, and you know them very well and closely. I said it here, on this podium, and my son Ekrem İmamoğlu was sitting right in front of me; I said this, and he will be with me.

MY FRIEND MANSUR YAVAŞ...

My friend Mansur Yavaş, with whom we have been shoulder to shoulder for many years, protecting each other, and taking strength from each other in the most challenging times, is also here.

COME ON, IN THE NAME OF GOD

Dear friends, we will eat a big mouthful, but don't make big promises. Let my friends know that if we are going to die, we will die out of love for this homeland, and one day all this will pass, and the dawn will break with a pleasant smile. We will look at each other, embrace each other, will say we did it. We did it, and we really did it!

Give me your blessings, my friends. Let's go!