Erdoğan comes under fire from former ally

Shaimaa Yahia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is coming under fire from a former ally and member of his party, namely Ali Babacan, the leader of the opposition Democracy and Progress Party.

Babacan criticized Erdoğan recently for turning Turkey into a country full of fear.

He vowed to release political prisoners soon after he mounts the saddle of Turkey.

Babacan is known to have managed the Turkish economy until 2015. He was a senior member of the ruling Justice and Development Party before he expressed opposition to Erdoğan’s tightening grip on the party and on Turkey as a whole.

Babacan quit the Justice and Development Party in July 2019 and called for a return to democracy. He also founded the Democracy and Progress Party.

Babacan commented in a TV interview on May 26 on amendments proposed to the election law by the Justice and Development Party that may prevent the Democracy and Progress Party and other new political parties from fielding candidates in the next general elections.

The amendments make it necessary for 20 lawmakers to resign from parliament and join each of the new parties so that these parties can participate in the elections.

Confrontation plan

Babacan said his party would participate in elections, regardless of the difficulties it would face on the road.

A party official, meanwhile, conceded the presence of difficulties in this regard.

He said the party would participate in the elections, slated for the end of 2023, especially if the ruling party fails in passing the proposed amendments to the election law.

He added, however, that his party would have to convince 20 members of the parliament to join it if the amendments are approved.

He added that the Democracy and Progress Party would also have to enlist the services of the members of other political parties who are members of parliament, especially if snap elections are held.