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Turkey's AK party faces crisis amid internal sniping and government probe Turkey's AK party faces crisis amid internal sniping and government probe
(about 2 hours later)
Turkish prosecutors have launched investigations into two senior members of the ruling AK party over allegations of misconduct and corruption in what analysts have described as the most serious internal crisis in the party’s rule.Turkish prosecutors have launched investigations into two senior members of the ruling AK party over allegations of misconduct and corruption in what analysts have described as the most serious internal crisis in the party’s rule.
The intra-party debate erupted over the weekend, when government spokesman and deputy prime minister Bülent Arinç criticised President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for interfering in the peace process between the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) and the Turkish government, and making “emotional” statements about the ongoing efforts to bring an end to the insurgency. The intra-party debate erupted over the weekend, when the government spokesman and deputy prime minister, Bülent Arinç, criticised President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for interfering in the peace process between the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) and the Turkish government, and making “emotional” statements about the ongoing efforts to bring an end to the insurgency.
In a televised speech on Monday, Erdogan struck a characteristically uncompromising tone, saying that he was entitled to an opinion on the peace process that began under his rule as prime minister. Later on Monday, Arinç underlined that he had not intended any disrespect towards Erdogan and that the government needed to work harder to better inform the president of its policies.In a televised speech on Monday, Erdogan struck a characteristically uncompromising tone, saying that he was entitled to an opinion on the peace process that began under his rule as prime minister. Later on Monday, Arinç underlined that he had not intended any disrespect towards Erdogan and that the government needed to work harder to better inform the president of its policies.
But the rift inside the AK party has widened, with controversial and typically bullish Ankara mayor Melih Gökçek, a staunch Erdogan loyalist, joining the fray. But the rift inside the AK party has widened, with controversial and typically bullish Ankara mayor, Melih Gökçek, a staunch Erdogan loyalist, joining the fray.
In a series of aggressive tweets, Gökçek on Monday called for the deputy prime minister’s resignation over his public criticism of President Erdogan. He also accused Arinç of “serving” the movement of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, who fell out with his former ally Erdogan over a corruption scandal in late 2013.In a series of aggressive tweets, Gökçek on Monday called for the deputy prime minister’s resignation over his public criticism of President Erdogan. He also accused Arinç of “serving” the movement of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, who fell out with his former ally Erdogan over a corruption scandal in late 2013.
In the strongest words ever used by an AK party politician against a fellow party member, Arinç, himself a founding member of the ruling party, struck back, accusing the mayor of Turkey’s capital city of corruption and nepotism in a press conference televised live on Monday evening.In the strongest words ever used by an AK party politician against a fellow party member, Arinç, himself a founding member of the ruling party, struck back, accusing the mayor of Turkey’s capital city of corruption and nepotism in a press conference televised live on Monday evening.
“He has sold Ankara to [the Gülen movement] plot by plot,” Arinç said, adding that he was ready to expose the controversial mayor’s wrongdoings, but that he would do so only after national elections on 7 June in order to avoid any damage to the AK party government and the party’s election chances.“He has sold Ankara to [the Gülen movement] plot by plot,” Arinç said, adding that he was ready to expose the controversial mayor’s wrongdoings, but that he would do so only after national elections on 7 June in order to avoid any damage to the AK party government and the party’s election chances.
Arinç also stated that he had never supported the controversial politician’s candidacy for mayor of Ankara and that with his tweets, Gökçek was aiming to further his son’s political career.Arinç also stated that he had never supported the controversial politician’s candidacy for mayor of Ankara and that with his tweets, Gökçek was aiming to further his son’s political career.
“I objected to nominating Gökçek for mayor in both 2009 and 2014. I told my colleagues that enough was enough and that [his candidacy] did not befit Ankara.” He added that Gökçek was merely trying to secure his son’s candidacy for a parliamentary seat.“I objected to nominating Gökçek for mayor in both 2009 and 2014. I told my colleagues that enough was enough and that [his candidacy] did not befit Ankara.” He added that Gökçek was merely trying to secure his son’s candidacy for a parliamentary seat.
Public prosecutors in Ankara on Tuesday launched investigations into both Arinç and Gökçek. If evidence for criminal activity can be found, the permission to investigate the Ankara mayor will be requested from the interior ministry, whereas Arinç, who enjoys legislative immunity, can only be prosecuted after a summary of proceedings is prepared and sent to parliament.Public prosecutors in Ankara on Tuesday launched investigations into both Arinç and Gökçek. If evidence for criminal activity can be found, the permission to investigate the Ankara mayor will be requested from the interior ministry, whereas Arinç, who enjoys legislative immunity, can only be prosecuted after a summary of proceedings is prepared and sent to parliament.
Some pundits see the crack as a sign of rising tension over the question of who should run the country: “Whose words should be taken into account to understand what Turkey says: the president or the government?” political commentator Murat Yetkin wrote, adding that “such authority issues” have erupted several times since Erdogan was elected as president last August. The post is largely ceremonial and supposed to be independent of party politics, but Erdogan has stretched the powers of his presidency by interfering in government matters, lobbying for the AK party, chairing two cabinet meetings and repeatedly lecturing the central bank on economic policy.Some pundits see the crack as a sign of rising tension over the question of who should run the country: “Whose words should be taken into account to understand what Turkey says: the president or the government?” political commentator Murat Yetkin wrote, adding that “such authority issues” have erupted several times since Erdogan was elected as president last August. The post is largely ceremonial and supposed to be independent of party politics, but Erdogan has stretched the powers of his presidency by interfering in government matters, lobbying for the AK party, chairing two cabinet meetings and repeatedly lecturing the central bank on economic policy.
Others doubted that the rift will lead to a more serious crisis inside the AK party. “This is a coalition of interests”, Cengiz Aktar, a political analyst, said. “This is certainly a crack in the beautiful façade of harmony of the AK party, but [Arinç] has not and likely will not aim at destroying the ranks of the party so shortly before the elections.” Others doubted that the rift will lead to a more serious crisis inside the AK party. “This is a coalition of interests,” Cengiz Aktar, a political analyst, said. “This is certainly a crack in the beautiful façade of harmony of the AK party, but [Arinç] has not and likely will not aim at destroying the ranks of the party so shortly before the elections.”