Future Party votes to dissolve after seven years

ANKARA

(AA photo)

The Future Party, founded by former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, voted to end its political activities and dissolve at an extraordinary congress held Aug. 22, bringing an end to its nearly seven-year political project.

“The decision we made today is not a renunciation, but a will to protect the values we believe in and the moral ground of politics,” the party said in a statement.

Davutoğlu announced July 29 that the party would withdraw from party politics, saying the decision was intended to keep it from becoming part of what he called a “polluted political climate.”

“This is not giving up on politics; it is a call to everyone to rethink politics,” he said, arguing that Türkiye’s political system, and party politics in particular, “had reached a major impasse.”

Turkish media said the announcement came after merger talks between the Future Party, the New Welfare Party (YRP) and the Felicity Party (SP) reportedly failed.

The Future Party had four lawmakers in the 20-member New Path bloc, a parliamentary alliance it formed with the SP and the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA).

Under parliamentary rules, a political party needs at least 20 lawmakers to form a parliamentary group.

Davutoğlu founded the party in 2019 after breaking with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). He had served as foreign minister and prime minister under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Future Party later joined the SP, DEVA Party and two other parties in the “table of six” alliance, which backed then-main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the 2023 twin elections.

In the parliamentary polls, 38 lawmakers from the Future Party, SP, DEVA Party and Democrat Party entered parliament on Republican People’s Party (CHP) lists.

Davutoğlu has not said clearly whether he will continue his political career following the dissolution of his party.

“The problem is a systemic problem beyond any individual,” he said, arguing that the risk existed independently of whoever held the presidency.

He also warned that anger over “authoritarianism, corruption, income inequality, restrictions and violations of the law could produce a backlash in the form of a revanchist opposition government.”