New Turkish parliament to have more former journalists as MPs

ANKARA

Enis Berberoğlu, a former editor-in-chief of daily Hürriyet, has already joined the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) as a candidate.

With several former journalists already serving as members of the Turkish parliament, their numbers are likely to increase as both the ruling and opposition parties have nominated a significant number of journalists from constituencies where they are likely to win.

Some of these candidates have already taken a break from their professional careers, while others are still active in the journalism world.

Enis Berberoğlu, a former editor-in-chief of daily Hürriyet, has already joined the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) as a candidate. Utku Çakırözer, daily Cumhuriyet’s former editor-in-chief, is also running for the main opposition party.

As for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), rather than career journalists like Berberoğlu and Çakırözer, there are a number of columnists from several daily newspapers running as candidates such as Markar Esayan, Hüseyin Yayman and Nuri Elibol.

The press advisor for Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and former journalist Metin Özkan are both running on the MHP’s ticket.

Mehmet Metiner and Şamil Tayyar, former journalists who are currently AKP deputies, are running in this election again for the AKP.