Turkish opposition slams AKP's silence on resignation of Finance Minister Albayrak

Duvar English

Turkish opposition parties have been waiting for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to comment on the resignation announcement of Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, as they slammed the government for remaining silent on the issue.

Albayrak, who is also President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's son-in-law, on Nov. 8 announced his resignation in an Instagram post at around 7 p.m.

While all opposition parties stressed that the confusion that erupted following Albayrak's announcement stems from the presidential system, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) spokesperson Faik Öztrak deemed it a "fight within the family."

"The country is in an economic crisis. Whether the minister resigned or not remains unknown. Their fight within the family is making the economy collapse," Öztrak said.

"Our people don't have to put up with the whims of a one-man regime," he added.

CHP Secretary General Selin Sayek Böke also said that the state management has turned into "family business."

"This country doesn't deserve this," she said.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) released a statement on the issue, calling on Erdoğan to resign.

"The only good that Erdoğan and his cabinet can do to Turkey before the economic crisis gets worse is to resign. The only option is to hold elections immediately," the HDP said, adding that the party is ready for it.

The leader of the right-wing Good (İYİ) Party, Meral Akşener, said that Erdoğan is at a crossroads.

"Either you'll do what's necessary by choosing your people or you'll take your son-in-law and leave in the first elections," Akşener said.

Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu, who is the former prime minister, slammed the writing style of Albayrak's announcement, saying that it's in an "elementary school level."

"I couldn't believe that a minister's Turkish is so bad. I said, 'A person who was appointed minister can't have such elementary school level Turkish,'" Davutoğlu said.

Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) leader Ali Babacan was another opposition leader to slam the government's silence.

"A failure was announced on social media and not a resignation. We've witnessed the consequences of nepotism and censoring the press once again," Babacan said, referring to the lack of coverage of the issue in mainstream media.

"The executive presidential system has announced its end last night," he added.