Turkey: Opposition Good Party's lawmaker resigns

ANKARA

A deputy from Turkey's opposition Good (IYI) Party resigned from the party on Monday, accusing the party of being under foreign influence.

"Those who work in imperialist Soros foundations have been appointed to sensitive positions on the [party] executive board," Ismail Ok, lawmaker from the western Balikesir province, said in a resignation statement.

He was referring to George Soros, an American billionaire who is known as "the man who broke the Bank of England" by short-selling pounds sterling amid the 1992 currency crisis, making more than £1 billion in profit.

The lawmaker criticized party leader Meral Aksener for shutting her eyes to the crisis brewing in the party.

"Even worse, the chairwoman saw no harm in the appointments of Soros fans to the party's key positions although she knew the situation," Ok said.

He denied being in contact with former Premier Ahmet Davutoglu, who recently founded a party, and former Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, who is about to launch a new party.

"This is my last term of deputyship. From now on, I want to state that I will never be a lawmaker candidate," he added.

Following this resignation, the IYI Party now has 37 lawmakers in the parliament.

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party holds 290 seats, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) 142, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) 65, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) 49, the Felicity (Saadet) Party two, the Turkish Workers' Party two, the Democrat Party (DP) one, the Grand Unity Party (BBP) one, and independent candidates six.