Resignations from İP continue in protest against party administration

THE OPPOSITION Good Party (İP) is being shaken once again by resignations from its provincial heads in protest against party headquarters as the party prepares for the March 2019 local elections. In the southeast, Şırnak’s provincial head, another six district heads and 860 members resigned over the weekend. In a press briefing held in the party building, Province Head of the Youth Branches of the Party, Murat Yetik, said that after consultations they decided to nominate someone supported locally for the local elections but the party administration chose someone else in line with their personal interests.

“It is impossible to work with an administration that is interest-oriented instead of human-oriented and unable to produce service and endeavors,” Yetik added.

The İP has been in distress since its poor performance in the June 24 elections. Dissatisfaction with the elections and İP members’ uneasiness over their positions on candidate lists stoked tensions in the party. Many members, including key founding members, resigned in protest. Failing to manage the unraveling situation, party leader Meral Akşener called for an extraordinary convention and announced her resignation following meetings in the central province of Afyonkarahisar in late July. Although Akşener previously decided to step down in the face of mounting pressure, some party officials persuaded her to continue in the post, resulting in her strengthening her grip on the party.

Oğuzhan Türk, a founding member of IP, who previously criticized IP’s policies, also resigned at the weekend in a televised program and joined to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) as a response to the incumbent chairman of MHP, Devlet Bahçeli’s invitation. Bahçeli previously invited members of IP who do not approve IP policies to come back to MHP.