Arıklı Criticises Serdar Denktaş: “Politics Should Not Be Driven by Revenge”

Highlighting Denktaş’s long political career, quick wit, and role in forming the former four-party coalition government, Arıklı noted that the difficulties in maintaining that coalition ultimately led to Denktaş’s political withdrawal. Now, with the veteran politician preparing for a comeback, Arıklı raised two main criticisms.

“First,” he said, “is his harsh criticism of the Democratic Party, which he founded and led for years. These are people he himself brought into politics. Second, is the apparent vendetta against Ersin Tatar. Saying ‘I will do whatever it takes to make sure Ersin Tatar doesn’t win’ is a statement that won’t be forgotten.”

Arıklı warned that such an aggressive approach, particularly while planning to form a new party on the right, could be a strategic misstep. “Denktaş should return to politics not out of revenge, but to offer solutions. One of the things he once taught me was that politics cannot be done with resentment and hatred,” Arıklı concluded.