Ankara mayor resigns on Erdogan ‘order’

Monitoring Desk

ANKARA: The mayor of Ankara, Melih Gokcek resigned from his office on Saturday on the orders of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking to revive the ruling party before the election of 2019.

Melih Gokcek, on Saturday told in television that I leave my post of Mayor from our leader Racep Tayyip Erdogan as he is the head of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)

Gokcek added that he step down from the post not because of I think I have been successful or I think I am tired but only because Erdogan can make our country a leader.

Recep Tayyib Erdogan co-founded the AKP as an Islamic rooted party with the aim to modernize the economy and fasten the efforts of Turkey’s members in European Union.

Erodgan claimed repeatedly that the party needs to make sweeping changes before the 2019 elections after some weaknesses were shown in the ballot box.

After the Erodgan announcement of bringing change several mayors have since resigned, including Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas who resigned last month after 13 years in the key post.

Turkey will hold municipal elections in March 2019, followed by presidential and parliamentary polls in November.

While the AKP has never been defeated at the ballot box since first winning power in 2002, there have been signs its grip on power has grown slightly less tight in recent years.