Controversial remark from AKP MP to Provincial Chair: 'Sit at home with your wife'

The AKP Muğla Extended Provincial Advisory Council Meeting was held at the Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Atatürk Cultural Center. The meeting was attended by AKP Deputy Chair Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, AKP Isparta MP and Muğla Coordinator Osman Zabun, Muğla MPs Yakup Otgöz and Kadem Mete, as well as AKP Provincial Chair Haluk Laçin, district chairs, representatives of women's and youth branches, and party members.

The development that left its mark on the meeting was Muğla MP Kadem Mete's harsh criticism of the provincial chair.

Reaction: "As if we are not MPs"

In his speech at the podium, Kadem Mete stated that Provincial Chair Haluk Laçin had been conducting ministerial meetings without informing the MPs. Mete used the following expressions:

"The university rector contacted us and requested a meeting with the Minister of National Education. We secured the appointment and went. However, I looked at social media and saw that our Provincial Chair had visited the same Minister a day before us. But neither I nor our other MP, Yakup Otgöz, had any knowledge of it. We don't know what was discussed or what was requested. This is not the first time. All of our provincial chair's ministerial visits are taking place alone and outside of our knowledge."

Emphasizing that this was not just his personal grievance, Mete said, "This is also a very serious problem in terms of organizational discipline."

"What are we competing for?"

Reminding that he worked in harmony with MPs when he was a former provincial chair, Mete expressed that this disconnect within the party would also be noticed from the outside with these words:

"You will go and meet with a minister. Three days later, the MPs of that province will visit the same Minister. Wouldn't that Ministry say, 'What kind of organization is this? They don't even know about each other.' Even those who see it on social media question this. What are we competing for here?"

"Politics is not for cowards"

The most striking part of Mete's speech was his emphasis on "courage" and "fear." Stating that even district chairs were hesitant to visit Ankara, Mete said:

"I am an MP not only in Muğla but also in Ankara. When my organization comes, they should visit me. But our district chairs cannot come; they are afraid. I served as a coordinator in Trabzon; the chairs there came and visited me. But not a single person came from Muğla. Who are you afraid of? If you are afraid, as our President said, 'Sit at home with your wife.' Politics is the job of brave people!"