AKP Spokesperson: Calling for Resignation is not an Anti-Democratic Practice

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Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chair and its Spokesperson Mahir Ünal has evaluated the AKP mayors including Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek who were asked to resign by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Highlights from comments of Ünal are as follows:

“[A party] chair may call for resignation by force of right to inspect”

“Statements issued by the opposition concerning our mayors are very ugly. On democratic ground, chair may call for resignation because just like the Ministry of Interior carries out administrative and legal inspection, a party has the right to inspect politically and sociologically. A chair can call for resignation by force of this right to inspect.

“You cannot say ‘this mayor resigned for this or that reason’ because the reason behind the resignation is the total of his relation with his or her party, politics and electors in his or her city”.

Mayors who were asked to resign

A large number of people from AKP's provincial and district organizations have been asked to resign upon demand of President Erdoğan.

İstanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş, Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek, Bursa Mayor Recep Altepe and resigned upon Erdoğan's call.

Topbaş resigned on September 22, Keleş on October 2, Akdoğan on October 18, Altepe on October 23 and Gökçek on October 28.

Balıkesir Mayor Ahmet Edip Uğur had said that he would announce his decision at 5 p.m. on October 30, Monday.

“They say ‘These people [mayors] are elected so they have to leave their posts through an election’. We say that our politics is a whole. AK Party comes and goes through polls but our deputies, mayors and fellows in other departments work as a gear of a watch. We cannot say our chair calling for resignation is an anti-democratic practice.

“We may make changes from time to time through consultation”. (ÇT/TK)