İYİ Party's solo run bid sparks further key departures

ANKARA

The İYİ (Good) Party is grappling with internal turmoil following its decision not to form an alliance with the Republican People's Party (CHP) for the upcoming local elections, with the fallout last resulting in the dismissal of vice chair Ahmet Zeki Üçok and the resignation of another deputy leader, Ece Güner.

The party's general administrative board decision on Dec. 4, emphasizing the intention to field its own candidates in all constituencies next March, signals a departure from its previous strategy in the 2019 local polls.

Back then, the İYİ Party had thrown support behind the main opposition CHP's candidates, contributing to significant victories in key battlegrounds such as Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

Üçok, a retired military judge overseeing legal affairs for the party, was dismissed on Dec. 14 on the instructions of party leader Meral Akşener, reportedly due to his advocacy for cooperation with the CHP – a stance at odds with the party's current direction.

Hours after Üçok's dismissal, Güner, responsible for social policies, resigned, expressing concern about the potential "vote split." Güner took to X to announce her resignation, stating, "If we split the votes, the [ruling Justice and Development Party] AK Party candidate will win... We must support [mayor] Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu to win Istanbul again without wasting a single vote."

İmamoğlu is set to run for the CHP again, as the AKP-led ruling alliance’s candidate in Istanbul remains unclear.

Meanwhile, Mehmet Salim Ensarioğlu, an İYİ Party deputy from Istanbul, also announced his resignation on Dec. 15 following a row regarding the naming of a boulevard in eastern Diyarbakır city after Sheikh Said, a controversial figure known for leading a Kurdish rebellion against the state in 1925.

The municipality's decision to name a new road after Sheikh Said sparked criticism from various political quarters, including the İYİ Party.

In response to the controversy, Ensarioğlu rejected accusations of betrayal against the Kurdish sheikh. The deputy described him as a "significant social and religious figure in the region," expressing his belief in treating all societal values with respect and reverence.

İYİ Party spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu confirmed Ensarioğlu's disciplinary referral against him on Dec. 12, revealing that it came at the directive of Akşener.

The developments follows a string of departures, including the resignation of lawmaker Nebi Hatipoğlu, who subsequently joined the AKP, and Ankara MP Adnan Beker last month. Additionally, Ümit Dikbayır, a close aide to Akşener, was expelled on Dec. 5 amid allegations of illegally examining the party leader's bank account.

The party's parliamentary representation has also suffered, with Istanbul MP Ayşe Sibel Yanıkömeroğlu announcing her resignation two days after the solo run decision. The departures caused the party's seats in parliament to drop from 44 to 39.

In a related development, İYİ Party's group in Istanbul municipal council faced its own upheaval, with its council head İbrahim Özkan, a proponent of electoral cooperation with the CHP, resigning on Dec. 12 at Akşener's request. In the subsequent election to fill the vacancy, Özkan was re-elected, but members who supported the resolution were referred to the disciplinary board for possible expulsion.