8th İYİ Party deputy resigns from party since elections

Turkish opposition İYİ Party MP Seyithan İzsiz has resigned from his party, becoming the 8th deputy to do so since the 2023 general elections.

Friday June 14 2024 04:31 pm

Duvar English

Turkish right-wing opposition İYİ (Good) Party deputy Seyithan İzsiz on June 14 resigned from his party.

In a statement, İzsiz said, “I regret to express that my words, attitude, and principles are no longer compatible with the party. In this respect, I would like to inform the public that I have resigned and ended my political association with the İYİ Party.”

Kamuoyuna Açıklama: pic.twitter.com/qYvpt5ZouV
— Seyithan İzsiz (@Seyithanizsiz) June 14, 2024

The İYİ Party had garnered 43 seats in the 2023 general elections. With consecutive resignations, this figure decreased to 35.

After resigning, Ayşe Sibel Yanıkömeroğlu and Aykut Kaya joined the Republican People’s Party (CHP), whereas Nebi Hatipoğlu joined the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Hatipoğlu was also the Eskişehir mayoral candidate of the AKP in the March 31st local elections.

Other resigned deputies continue as independent.

Despite receiving 9.69 percent of the votes in the 2023 general elections, the party remained at 3.77 percent in the March 31st local elections after it withdrew from the main opposition People’s Alliance.

After the local election defeat, Akşener called for an extraordinary party congress and did not become a candidate for the party leadership. However, Müsavat Dervişoğlu, whom Akşener supported, has become the new İYİ Party leader.

Last week, Akşener met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a surprise move. The move stirred the party, as some deputies demanded the disclosure of the agenda of the meeting. Erdoğan met with Akşener, who has no political duty at the moment, before İYİ Party’s new leader Dervişoğlu.