İYİ Party Ankara MP Yüksel Arslan resigns: 'It is regrettable that my special efforts are accused of being an "operation"'

The wave of resignations in the İYİ Party continues unabated. İYİ Party Ankara MP Yüksel Arslan has resigned.

Arslan had also previously worked as the chief of staff for the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. Arslan is known for his closeness to ABB Mayor Mansur Yavaş.

In his resignation message, Arslan stated, "It is regrettable that my special efforts are accused of being 'harming my party, setting a trap, or conducting an operation'."

"MY GREATEST DESIRE IS FOR THE İYİ PARTY TO CONTINUE ITS POLITICAL EXISTENCE"

Arslan stated the following:

The İYİ Party was established to fill the deep void that emerged in Turkish politics and to ensure that the will of the voters is reflected in parliament in the most accurate way. It has taken its place strongly on the political stage with the aim of being the voice and word of our people who want democracy to take root and become institutionalized in our country, for public resources to be used effectively and efficiently so that our state becomes stronger, and for services to reach everyone equally and fairly.

The İYİ Party, which ensures that Turkish nationalists—who enabled the Turkish nation to become a subject of history once again by successfully concluding the War of Independence we fought 100 years ago against imperialist invasion and occupation—are represented effectively and actively in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; it is a party of patriotic, sincere, honest, hardworking, and responsible people from its grassroots to its highest levels. This is also the reason for my presence in the İYİ Party.

The primary election held during the May 14, 2023, election process pioneered the involvement of young people in politics and the nomination of candidates by our party through democratic methods. It motivated us to work more diligently and enabled us to integrate with our people. For this reason, my greatest desire is for the İYİ Party to continue its political existence.

"HE TOOK THE STAGE WITH MANSUR YAVAŞ IN 42 PROVINCES"

Political alliance discussions that began over the results of the May 14 elections continue through the attitudes of the parties and the candidates they will field in the upcoming March 31, 2024, local elections. The black propaganda of the pro-government media during the elections negatively affected our candidates and administrators. Taking into account the negativities experienced during the election process, the İYİ Party declared its will to enter the March 31, 2024, local elections without an alliance.

Although our party declared its will, I have made efforts from the very beginning of the process, based on the current political and social reality, to ensure that a common-sense decision is taken that will meet the will and expectations of our party's grassroots, specifically in Ankara. With the knowledge of our party's authorized bodies and my Chairperson, Ms. Akşener, I sincerely tried to explain that cooperation should be continued in Ankara in a way that protects our party's gains, and that Ankara is different from other provinces, so that the decision to be taken would have positive results for Ankara.

While sharing my views and thoughts, I explained that the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality has also been working like a Nation Alliance municipality for 5 years, and that during this process, our İYİ Party Ankara Provincial Presidency and 21 district chairs supported Mr. Mansur Yavaş. At the same time, I reminded that during the May 14 elections, my Chairperson, Ms. Akşener, took the stage with Mr. Mansur Yavaş in 42 provinces where she held rallies and spoke of him with praise as an "honest, upright, hardworking mayor."

"I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT THE DECISION TO FIELD A CANDIDATE IS NOT APPROPRIATE"

So much so that, following the meeting I had with my Chairperson, Ms. Meral Akşener, after our party's TBMM Group Meeting held on December 6, 2023, upon Ms. Akşener saying, "No concrete proposal has come from the CHP and I do not have a negative attitude towards Mr. Mansur...", I asked her, "May I share this dialogue with the parties involved?" Upon her approval, I shared the conversation we had with the relevant parties and expressed my views on the steps they should take.

After the statements made by our Chairperson at the meeting in Uşak, I came to the conclusion that the ground for electoral cooperation regarding Ankara had also disappeared. It is regrettable that my special efforts are accused of being "harming my party, setting a trap, or conducting an operation." Furthermore, my sincere efforts to serve our party are known by our organization managers, our deputies, and our Chairperson, as well as by the brothers and sisters who trusted us and voted for us.

During the process of taking the decision in question, as an Ankara MP, I fulfilled my responsibility to convey the will of our provincial and 21 district organizations, as well as our fellow citizens who support our party, to the authorized party bodies and the Chairperson. Therefore, my heart is at ease, and my conscience is clear. In this respect, I would like to state that the wholesale approach of the decision to field a candidate in Ankara for the metropolitan and district mayoral elections without cooperation is not appropriate.

"SUPPORT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF MANSUR YAVAŞ'S MUNICIPALISM"

During the decision-making process regarding our party's stance in the March 31, 2024, local elections, my Chairperson, Ms. Akşener, said, "I know your closeness to Mr. Mansur. I cannot tell you to work for our party's candidate in Ankara. You are free." However, I do not think it is compatible with politics, morality, and courtesy to support another candidate in a province where the party of which I am a member and a deputy is fielding a candidate. I see supporting Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mr. Mansur Yavaş as a humanitarian, conscientious, and moral responsibility, as well as a matter of loyalty. Because Ankara was poorly managed for 25 years. Together with Mr. Yavaş, our capital, the apple of the eye of Turkey and the Turkic world, has attained transparent, impartial, human- and environment-oriented service in the last five years.

Mr. Mansur Yavaş, who restored Ankara to a identity worthy of our history and performs his work with merit, justice, and seriousness, has won the appreciation of our noble nation as well as the people of Ankara, and has established a throne in their hearts. The political stance of Mansur Yavaş, who is always in touch with our people and is appreciated and approved for his humble personality, and the face of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, which has changed in a positive direction over the five-year process, should be taken into account. Support should be given to the institutionalization of Mansur Yavaş's municipalism, which replaces rent-seeking with production and reflects the culture of mutual assistance, solidarity, and sharing in its services.

EMPHASIS ON "INDEPENDENT"

I have known Mr. Mansur Yavaş since my childhood. He has proven at all times and on every platform that he is an honest, honorable, and dignified person. I know closely the courage Mr. Yavaş showed when necessary, with whom I fought shoulder to shoulder while passing through a ring of fire yesterday. Far from being a coward, he is brave-hearted. For this reason, I am happy to be a fellow traveler and a comrade in the cause.

After the May 14 elections, I became a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey as an İYİ Party Ankara MP. I thank my Chairperson who gave me this honor, our managers serving at every level of our party, our voters, and my brothers and sisters who do politics shoulder to shoulder with me.

I am resigning from my İYİ Party membership as of 21.12.2023 to continue my TBMM membership as an independent MP.

ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PUBLIC:
The İYİ Party was established to fill the deep void that emerged in Turkish politics and to ensure that the will of the voters is reflected in parliament in the most accurate way. For democracy to take root and become institutionalized in our country, and for public resources to be used effectively and efficiently... pic.twitter.com/fr0F2LNozN

— Yüksel Arslan (@ArslanYuksel06) December 21, 2023

News Source: 12punto