Turkey: Former deputy PM announces new political party

By Esin Isik

ANKARA (AA) - A former Turkish deputy prime minister who was responsible for the economy announced the establishment of a new political party Wednesday.

Ali Babacan announced the launch of the Democracy and Progress Party at a ceremony in the capital, Ankara.

“Our top priority in the economy is to tackle the unemployment problem, especially among young people and women,” Babacan said.

Noting that they prepared the party’s programs with broad participation, he said they enriched the programs by carefully listening to every segment of the society.

“In order to institutionalize the change and dynamism in our party, we limited the duration of the presidency to 10 years,” he said.

Babacan added that they will include women, young people and disabled members of society at every level of the party.

- ‘Strong, sustainable and inclusive growth’

Babacan said the Democracy and Progress Party aims for a lawful, citizen-oriented public administration.

He went on to say that the party will consider social welfare and justice, humane working conditions and protection of nature and the environment at the highest level in policies and practices.

- Counterterrorism

Babacan also pledged a struggle based on rational methods against terrorism.

“Terrorist organizations -- especially FETO, the PKK and Daesh -- are on the one hand threatening the security, constitutional order and integrity of our country, while on the other hand, they are the structures that prevent the establishment of a stronger future,” he said.

*Writing by Burak Dag