Striking claim from Forbes about Hafize Gaye Erkan! 'She angered Erdoğan...'

Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (TCMB) Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, who has been at the center of attention due to allegations regarding her family, requested to be relieved of her duties, stating that a character assassination campaign was being waged against her.

Erkan's resignation has also caused a significant stir in the global press.

While the international press generally highlighted that Erkan was Turkey's first female Central Bank Governor and that she had raised interest rates significantly in a short period, the US-based business magazine Forbes also included some of Erkan's statements in its report. 

SHE HAD SAID "WE MOVED IN WITH MY MOTHER"

In an interview she gave on December 16 to Ahmet Hakan, known for his proximity to the government, Gaye Erkan expressed that rents in Istanbul were particularly expensive and that they had moved in with her mother because they could not find a house, stating, "Could Istanbul be more expensive than Manhattan? We couldn't find a house in Istanbul. It's incredibly expensive. We moved in with my mother, we are staying with them."

"SHE ANGERED ERDOĞAN" CLAIM

Forbes emphasized that this interview angered AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan, stating, "It was also reported that she angered President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by saying in an interview that she had moved in with her family because she could not afford rent in Istanbul due to high inflation."

The report noted that Erdoğan had appointed Erkan to lead the Central Bank in June, tasking her with managing an economic model that would ensure a break from the low-interest-rate policy that had led to high inflation and the exit of foreign investors.

While Erkan's statement that she resigned to protect her family was included, the message from Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek that the economic program would continue and that Erkan's decision was personal was also highlighted.