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Why Erdogan must expand his ultranationalist alliances

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s growing dependency on Gray Wolves may mean more trouble for the Kurds and political dissidents in Europe, while increasing risks for Syrian refugees inside Turkey.
Turkish President and the leader of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli stand on stage during a joint election rally of People's Alliance for the upcoming local elections in Ankara, Turkey, on March 23, 2019. - Turkish will cast their ballots for local elections on March 31, 2019. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP)        (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli extended in early August an invitation to his archrival Meral Aksener, chairwoman of the Good Party, “to come back home.” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in an unofficial coalition with the MHP for the last four years, publicly supported Bahceli’s invitation as "reasonable.” 

Erdogan said that for a “party we view as native and national, it would not be appropriate to walk hand in hand with terror organizations.” 

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