Resignation earthquake in IYI Party organization

İbrahim Tekeli, who was elected as the IYI Party Isparta Provincial Chair in October 2023, shared details regarding the dismissal process during a press conference he held. Emphasizing that he always prioritized his responsibility toward party members and delegates throughout his tenure, Tekeli stated that he was asked to resign but refused to do so.

Tekeli reported that he met with the Organization Chair recently and was informed that they wanted to move forward with a different team, without any justification provided. Following these demands, he stated that the goals of certain individuals in the party did not align with his own and that he would not work with that team. He explained his reason for not resigning from the provincial chairmanship as follows: "I told them that I had been elected by a congress just a few months ago, and that due to my responsibility toward the delegates who voted for me and the members who did not spare their support, I would never resign; if they wanted, they could dismiss me."

Regarding the events, Tekeli stated that he "considers what happened to be a clear blow to democracy," and expressed his reaction by saying, "This decision taken by the Headquarters reveals a system where those who cannot win at the ballot box today are being helped to win at the table through 'crony' relationships." He also criticized appointments made based on proximity and references rather than merit.

Provincial Chair Tekeli targeted the party headquarters with the following remarks: "Furthermore, we see that the Headquarters, which emphasizes the claim of 'becoming a center party' in every statement, is trying to distance our party, which we built with great effort, from its founding goals—even in the hometown of Süleyman Demirel—and unfortunately turn it into a small extension of the MHP. Our dismissal today is precisely the most concrete indicator of this."

Arguing that the practices of the Headquarters, which occasionally emphasizes "justice" and "democracy" in its own words, do not align with these principles, he said: "The true face of a politician is understood not by the sentences they construct on podiums, but by the decisions they make, their attitudes, and their actions. Justice in rhetoric, injustice in practice. Democracy in name, an imposition-based mindset in reality. This is exactly the situation we are facing. We are not so mute as to remain silent, nor so spineless as to bow down before a structure where justice is not provided, democracy is not operated, and labor is ignored. For this reason, I and my fellow party members are also resigning from IYI Party membership. Just as the justification of our founding Chairwoman, Ms. Meral Akşener, emerged later, I regret to say that our justification will also emerge sooner or later."