This report was prepared for DPI by journalist Ferda Balancar. It provides analysis of the recent emergence of two new parties onto the Turkish political scene, both of which are founded by figures who were prominent within the AK Party and in government. The author provides an overview of what is known to date about these two new parties and assesses the background of their leaders, the reasons for why two rather than one party have been formed, despite both leaders coming from the same political ‘family’, and what this means for the current constellation of political alliances in Turkey. The reception of these political parties by the general public will, the author suggests, determine how the Kurdish question is handled by the ruling party in the short and medium term.
DPI wishes to thank the author for this engaging report, which details the advent of two new political parties in Turkey, potentially with important ramifications for the resolution process. The views and opinions expressed in the report remain those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DPI.