|
ANKARA, March 30
(AFP)- Two lawmakers resigned Wednesday from the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the
latest in a series of deputies to quit Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party in recent
months.
Ibrahim Ozdogan, an MP from the eastern province of
Erzurum, and Serpil Yildiz, who was elected from the
western city of Izmir, both cited political
differences for their resignations, which still left
the AKP with a comfortable majority of 357 in the
550-seat parliament.
The latest resignations brought to 13 the number of
lawmakers to leave the AKP since the beginning of
the year, criticising Erdogan for what they termed
his anti-democratic rule of the party and for not
consulting them on domestic matters.
Some have since joined two small centre-right
parties.
Among them is former culture and tourism minister
Erkan Mumcu, who left the AKP in February, citing
differences of opinion with the party, and joined
the conservative Motherland Party (ANAP).
Observers in parliament say more resignations were
expected from the AKP, a conservative movement with
Islamist roots that emerged victorious from the 2002
elections.
AFP
Top |
® 