In-house AKP fight is over, Turkish PM Davutoğlu says

ANKARA

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu consoles the daughter of a miner who died in the Soma mining disaster on March 25, 2015. AA photo

The polemic between Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç and Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek is over, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has declared, vowing zero tolerance for those in the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) conducting in-house quarrels in public ahead of the parliamentary elections.

“This discussion is over for me, according to both our understanding of party discipline and our principle that allows the expression of democratic views inside the party,” Davutoğlu told reporters on March 25. 

He also said he had held separate meetings with both Arınç and Gökçek, urging them both to stop firing accusations each other that would harm the party. 

“We won’t tolerate any moves that will harm our party before or after the elections,” Davutoğlu said, reiterating his earlier threat that he would send those who do not listen to his warnings to the AKP’s disciplinary board.  

Indirectly criticizing Arınç for voicing unproven claims about Gökçek’s mayoral acts, Davutoğlu stated that he was always ready to listen to such accusations in person if the need arose.