YENİ Party Rejects Mecca Agreement and Opposes Sending Turkish Forces to Yemen

Turkish opposition party YENİ has rejected the Mecca defense agreement, declaring its opposition to sending Turkish military forces to Yemen under this accord, in a meeting held by party leader Özgür Özel with party cadres responsible for foreign affairs.

The cadres raised a series of objections, most notably that the agreement was concluded without briefing Parliament or obtaining its approval, and that executive meetings were held within its framework with promises to deploy troops before any formal authorization — which they characterized as "violation of constitutional articles related to international treaties and troop deployment." They added that the region is experiencing a state of war, and that Turkish engagement in this situation exposes Turkey to danger and threatens the lives of soldiers.

The cadres also criticized the clause that prohibits member states from withdrawing during the first ten years of the agreement's implementation, stating: "You are mortgaging the next decade, and this affects the lives of soldiers and Turkey's security." They pointed out that the term of any elected government does not exceed five years in the first place, insisting that they will raise these criticisms in the general session.

The cadres directed sharp criticism at the Republican People's Party (CHP) following its announcement of support for the agreement, describing it as having "become an actual partner in the People's Alliance," and pointing to the contradiction between this position and what the party previously stated.

In contrast, when asked by reporters, YENİ party spokesperson Zeynep Ömrü responded regarding the parliamentary bloc's voting position: "We have an opinion, but the decision will be announced by colleagues tasked with speaking on behalf of the parliamentary group" — without revealing the final direction.