Former AKP politicians visiting Davutoğlu, Babacan in bid to stop foundation of new parties

Özlem Akarsu Çelik - Duvar

Former politicians from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been visiting Ali Babacan and Ahmet Davutoğlu to discourage them of founding two new political parties.

In addition to Babacan, former Deputy Prime Minister, and Davutoğlu, former Prime Minister, the group consisting of figures close to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also visited former President Abdullah Gül, who will provide support to Babacan without assuming a role in the party.

The rift between Erdoğan and his former allies have been deepening as the foundation of the parties nears.

Erdoğan last week accused Davutoğlu of trying to defraud state-owned Halkbank regarding the land of private Şehir University, of which the former prime minister is among the founders.

The group consisting of politicians visited Erdoğan to ask for his permission to talk to Davutoğlu, Babacan and Gül amid the intense war of words between the sides.

Feyzullah Kıyıklık, who has been close to Erdoğan since the Welfare Party period, is among the politicians aiming to prevent the AKP from getting harmed because of the new parties and to establish peace with Davutoğlu and Babacan.

The group urged Davutoğlu to cease his efforts to found the party, saying that it would lead to partition.

"You are too late," the former Prime Minister said in return.