Turkey: Independent lawmaker says forming new party

By Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish independent lawmaker Tuesday said he started to work on the formation of a new political party.Gaziantep independent deputy Umit Ozdag and Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) former chair candidate Meral Aksener were expelled from the party in 2016 for violating the party rules.Both lawmakers were accused of breaking certain provisions of the party’s constitution regarding cooperation, communication and mutual respect among party insiders."I am talking about a new party. I am not in a position to give information about the work on (party's) program and staff. We will share this information when the time comes," Ozdag said, while pointing that he would establish the party with Aksener. After the MHP won just 40 seats in parliament in November 2015 general elections, Ozdag, Aksener and MHP's former lawmakers Koray Aydin, and Sinan Ogan pushed for the ouster of Devlet Bahceli, who has been leading the party since 1997.The dissidents tried to call a party congress last year, but they were blocked by the party’s leadership.Other lawmakers Yusuf Halacoglu, Ismail Ok and Nuri Okutan, who were also expelled from the party in March 2017, are also expected to join Ozdag and Aksener.