Resignations, transfers mark 28th parliamentary term
ANKARA
The participation of new deputies to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) at its eighth ordinary congress has triggered another shift in Türkiye's parliamentary landscape.
The İYİ (Good) Party, which started the ongoing 28th legislative term with 43 deputies, has experienced the most resignations, now reduced to 28 members.
Among those who resigned and joined the AKP are Ünal Karaman, Mehmet Salim Ensarioğlu, İdris Nebi Hatipoğlu, Seyithan İzsiz, Kürşad Zorlu, Dursun Ataş and Ahmet Ersagun Yücel.
The AKP congress confirmed key figures from the İYİ Party among the new leadership team. Hatipoğlu, İzsiz, Zorlu, Ataş and Karaman were appointed to the new positions.
Some former İYİ Party deputies, including Koray Aydın, have since become independent.
In addition, other significant transfers include Future Party's Serap Yazıcı Özbudun and Nedim Yamalı and New Welfare Party's (YRP) Suat Pamukçu, all of whom joined the AKP.
Yamalı and Özbudun have also been appointed to the ruling party's new management team.
The wave of İYİ Party resignations began after the party opted to run its own candidates in all constituencies for last May's mayoral elections and has continued since then.
This strategy resulted in a dramatic fall in its vote share, from 7.3 percent to 3.77 percent. The party's only success in the local elections was a victory in Nevşehir.
The electoral setbacks prompted a leadership change, with Müsavat Dervişoğlu taking over as party chair last April, succeeding Meral Akşener.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) gained ground with the addition of Bilal Bilici and Ümit Özlale, who resigned from İYİ Party, as well as Selma Aliye Kavaf from Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA Party), and Cemal Enginyurt and Salih Uzun from the Democrat Party (DP).
CHP deputy Ediz Ün also resigned and continues as an independent.
Moreover, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) also saw notable resignations as deputies Hasan Basri Sönmez, İsmail Akgül and Mustafa Demir left the party.
Additionally, Mustafa Yeneroğlu, a former DEVA Party member, also resigned, contributing to the ongoing reshuffling.
