Turkey’s former prime minister resigns from Erdogan’s party
Former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced
his resignation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party and
plans to form a new political movement.
Davutoglu resigned on Friday, days after the ruling
Justice and Development Party, or AKP, began proceedings to expel him and three
former legislators from the party for breach of discipline.
The politician served as foreign minister between
2009 and 2024 and later as prime minister until 2016, when he was sacked by
Erdogan and replaced by Binali Yildirim.
He has recently been critical of Erdogan’s policies,
especially concerning freedom of expression.
Davutoglu is the second key AKP figure to resign
from the party after Ali Babacan — a former deputy prime minister and economy
minister, who in July also announced plans for a new party.
