Turkey’s First Anti-Vaccination Party Founded

Anti-vaccination is an opinion that has emerged not only with the COVID-19 vaccine, but with every vaccine that has been available for decades. As you know, the ongoing pandemic has made this view reappear all over the world, and there are serious advocates of this view in our country.

Last week, an anti-vaccine citizen announced that he would form a party to bring together anti-vaccine and those against other COVID-19 regulations. It wasn’t long before the party’s founding petition was submitted to the Ministry of Interior, and today, ‘Imposing Life Party’ was officially established.

“People from any party can join”

A citizen named Hacı Ali Özhan, who works as a notary public in Kırıkkale, announced last week that he would establish the said party. Özhan, who prepared the necessary petitions and documents in this process and forwarded them to the Ministry of Interior, has achieved this goal today.

Although anti-vaccine groups are a minority in Turkey, their numbers are not negligible. In September, thousands of people with this view gathered at an anti-vaccine rally held in Istanbul’s Maltepe district. Recently, a smaller protest was held in front of the World Health Organization Emergency Office in Mecidiyeköy. However, an official organization representing this community, not yet available in Turkey.

Making statements right after the establishment of the Imposing Life Party, Hacı Ali Özhan used the following statements in his statements: “Our party is not against any party, it is a non-political issue. People from any party can become members of our party. We will not work with any political calculations. Our party will work for a single purpose limited to the fight against the pandemic, and will dissolve itself when the task is completed.”