New splits among Turkish President Erdogan-led Justice and Development Party

The ruling Justice and Development Party, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has witnessed for more than a year splits in its ranks and leaders.

The most recent of which was the resignation of the Head of Women’s Committees in the party branch in the town of Kyzyl Tapp of the city of Mardin, Amina Joktash, with 14 other members who decided to move to the ranks of the Future Party.

“The resignations within the ranks of the Justice and Development Party will continue in the coming days. Citizens want new political parties that will save them from the crisis’s economic conditions,” the Turkish newspaper Zaman quoted the head of the Future Party’s branch in the Mardin city, Amin Ilhan, as saying.

Resignations have been taking place in the ranks of  Erdogan’s party for nearly a year, as they started with the announcement of former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan to resign from his founding membership in the party. Afew months later, former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu submitted his resignation and  each  established an independent party opposed to the regime.

This month, five leaders of the Justice and Development Party in Balikesir, northern Turkey, announced their resignation suddenly.

The head of the opposition Turkish Republican People’s Party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu confirmed last month that Erdogan’s party would witness a wave of collective defections as a result of the authoritarian approach practiced by him.

O. al-Mohammad