Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced on Friday (December 13th) the creation of his own political party, confirming the divisions that affect the Justice and Development Party (AKP), founded and led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A former founding member of the AKP, Davutoglu resigned from the presidential party in September after denouncing the authoritarian drift of his former traveling companion.
Became the leader of the Party of the future on Friday, the name of the new party, he promised a new constitution, a renewal of foreign policy, closer ties with the European Union (EU), the end of corruption and respect for freedoms. “Freedom of the press is fundamental. We will build a country where journalists will not face arbitrary trials "he said at the launch press conference at the Bilkent Hotel in Ankara.
The emergence of this party is a threat to the hegemony of the AKP, in power in Turkey since 2002. Especially since Mr. Davutoglu was not the only one to have rebelled. Ali Babacan, another of Erdogan's early companions, also slammed the AKP's door on July 8, citing "Deep differences" between his personal values and those displayed by management. He too has promised to start his own party by the end of the year.
The ambitions of the two men are a serious disappointment for the Turkish president. If the future parties of Babacan and Davutoglu are credited with fairly low percentages (9% and 3% respectively) for the legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2023, they will undoubtedly weaken the electoral base of the presidential party, because they hunt on the same lands, those of political Islam.
Threats against the Kurds
Davutoglu has a more conservative agenda than Babacan, a former economics minister whose popularity is high in business circles, alarmed by the economic downturn and the lack of reform.
The former head of government is particularly critical of the presidential regime put in place by and for Mr. Erdogan, who is now president and prime minister. "The current system has created serious inefficiency, a problem of trust and a loss of our democratic standards"said Davutoglu, promising to restore the powers of parliament if the election is successful.
