Turkey’s ruling party to expel former PM Ahmet Davutoglu

Members of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) demanded on Monday the expulsion of former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, news agencies reported on Tuesday. According to Reuters, an official said that the party’s central executive committee has called Davutoglu, along with Ayhan Sefer Ustun, Selcuk Ozdag and Abdullah Basci, to be expelled from the party.

The AK Party’s disciplinary council is expected to approve the dismissal of these senior members in the next few days. Meanwhile, it has come to light that a number of other senior officials have already left the party voluntarily, such as former President of Turkey Abdullah Gul and the ex-Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan. The latter resigned over what he called “deep differences”.

Informed sources told Reuters that Babacan and Gul are planning to launch a new party this year, in a move which, the agency expects, will challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political grip on Turkey.

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