MHP leadership reshuffle marks four changes

ANKARA

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has unveiled its new presidential council following a congress held last month, with four changes to its 15-member administration.

Party leader Devlet Bahçeli chaired the first meeting of the MHP's central executive board and central disciplinary board members on April 15, where the new party management was determined.

Deputy leaders Kamil Aydın, Pelin Yılık and Filiz Kılıç, and deputy secretary-general Bumin Özarslan have been excluded from their positions.

Taking their places are Zühal Topcu, who returned to the leadership after stepping down as deputy leader in 2016, İlyas Topsakal, Ahmet Selim Yurdakul and Vahit Kayırıcı. Eleven members retained their positions.

Topcu assumes the role of deputy leader responsible for internal party training, while Topsakal will oversee Turkic world and international relations. Yurdakul will handle family, women and social service policies, with Kayırıcı appointed as the deputy general secretary.

Meanwhile, Semih Yalçın, Feti Yıldız, Mustafa Kalaycı, İsmail Faruk Aksu, İsmail Özdemir, Mevlüt Karakaya, İzzet Ulvi Yöter and Sadir Durmaz retained their deputy leader positions.

İsmet Büyükataman continues as the general secretary, while Taner Osmanağaoğlu remains the deputy secretary-general.

The announcement comes in the wake of the MHP's decline in vote share during the March 31 elections. The party's share dropped from 7.31 percent in the 2019 local elections to 4.99 percent in the recent polls.