AKP’s economy team will not run for Parliament

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has nominated the majority of the current Cabinet for the next Parliament, except for those who are responsible for the economy, including deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci. 

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and 21 ministers, including Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu have been represented as candidates for Parliament, while only 167 out 316 sitting deputies have been re-nominated according to the AKP’s list that was submitted to the Supreme Election Board (YSK).

Şimşek and Zeybekci, Finance Minister Naci Ağbal and Science, Technology and Industry Minister Faruk Özlü will not run for Parliament, which has led to the assumption that these figures will likely find a place in the next government if President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is elected for president in the June 24 polls.

According to the new system, ministers will not be chosen from Parliament and lawmakers will have to resign from Parliament if they are offered a place in the Cabinet. 

In the meantime, Yıldırım, who is currently serving as the last prime minister before the new system abolishes his office, will likely be nominated for Parliament Speaker for the AKP after the composition of the new Parliament.

EU Minister Ömer Çelik will also not run for Parliament, sparking comments that he may also have an important place in Erdoğan’s government. Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdoğan’s son-in-law, will run for Parliament from Istanbul.

AKP introduces new figures 

The AKP list has also introduced new figures from different walks of life to the Parliament. One of them is Kenan Sofuoğlu, Turkey’s ace motorcycle racer who has recently announced the end of his active sports career. He will run for Parliament from the Sakarya province in northwestern Anatolia.

Former Turkish football player who had served in the national team, Alpay Özalan will run from İzmir, whereas former national wrestler Selçuk Çebi will run from Trabzon. Former AKP member and Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç’s son Ahmet Mücahit Arınç has been nominated from Manisa and journalist Ayşe Böhürler, presidential advisors Alev Dedegil, Özlem Zengin will also run for Parliament from the AKP ranks.