Felicity, Deva and Future parties to form new political entity in Turkish Parliament

Following the resignation of Nedim Yamali, the Ankara Member of Parliament (MP) from the Future Party (GP), who subsequently joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Fatih Atik, TGRT News Ankara correspondent, reported that the Felicity Party (SP), Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA Party) and GP are joining forces to form a new political entity in the Turkish Parliament.

Why it matters

This merger could significantly impact the opposition’s strength in Parliament, as the new alliance aims to present a more unified front to challenge the ruling AK Party.

Details

• Yamali’s resignation and switch to the AK Party have reduced the parliamentary representation of the Felicity and Future parties, which had previously allied with the opposition’s “Six-Party Table.”
• Fatih Atik reported that Felicity, Deva and Future are close to finalizing talks to create a new political party called Democracy for Unity.
• The three parties will retain their individual identities but will form a unified parliamentary group.
• The new alliance will include nine MPs from Felicity, 15 from Deva and nine from Future, totaling approximately 33-34 seats. This could give the new group more influence in parliamentary debates and decisions.

Zoom in

The merger largely responds to the challenges faced by the Future Party, particularly after the departure of a prominent member like Yamali. Felicity and Deva are reportedly aligned on the merger, while Future’s role remains unclear.

Ahmet Davutoglu, leader of the Future, has made ambiguous statements about his ongoing ties with the AK Party, leading to uncertainty about his party’s future direction.

Zoom out

There are also discussions about potentially including the New Welfare Party in the new alliance. While this has not been finalized, if New Welfare joins, it could strengthen the opposition and shift the dynamics in Parliament.