Davutoğlu submits formal application to found new party

Duvar English/Reuters

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, once a close ally to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, applied on Dec. 12 to establish a breakaway political party.

Davutoğlu, 60, served as prime minister from 2014 to 2016, before falling out with Erdoğan. Earlier this year, he slammed the president and the economic management of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and accused them of curbing basic liberties and free speech.

A source close to Davutoğlu said the former premier applied to the Interior Ministry on Dec. 12 to form his new party and that he will formally announce it at a news conference in Ankara on Dec 13. It will be called Future Party, the source said.

"He will announce his party's principles and give information about the founding members," the source said.

Davutoğlu announced his resignation from the AKP in September, saying it was no longer able to solve Turkey's problems and no longer allowed internal debate. His resignation came two months after former deputy prime minister Ali Babacan resigned from the AKP, citing "deep differences."

Babacan, will also announce his own rival political party within weeks, a source close to Babacan said.

"Efforts to form the party are in the last stages. The final changes are being made to the texts, the party's founders are nearly complete," the source said.

In his first televised interview since resigning from the AKP, Babacan said last month that Turkey was in a "dark tunnel" and warned of the dangers of "one-man rule."