Felicity, Future parties form joint group in parliament

The Felicity Party and the Future Party have agreed to form a joint group in the Turkish parliament.

The new group, represented under the umbrella of the Felicity Party, will be led by Selçuk Özdağ, the Muğla deputy of the Future Party. According to the agreement, each party will have a representative as the group's vice-chair.

The collaboration formalized through a protocol titled "Felicity Party-Future Party Alliance" will encompass various forms of cooperation, not only in their parliamentary endeavors but also in the upcoming local elections next year in March.

In the May 14 parliamentary election, both parties entered the race on the lists of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), and secured 10 deputies each. By establishing a parliamentary group, which requires a minimum of 20 deputies, the parties gain additional rights, including increased speaking time in the general assembly, the ability to organize group meetings and membership in parliamentary commissions.

The formation of the joint group also initially involved discussions with the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), which had gained representation in the parliament with 15 members after running from the CHP's list.

However, the DEVA withdrew from the negotiations in late June due to the inability to reach a compromise.

During a joint press conference, Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu highlighted the voters' desire for strong alternatives while avoiding political clutter.

For his part, Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoğlu explained that it was agreed that the joint group would be established under the Felicity Party's roof due to the party's seniority.

The leaders announced that the first group meeting will take place next week.