Ahmet Davutoglu retires from active politics, Future Party dissolves

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced that he is retiring from active politics and dissolving his opposition Future Party.

The former close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insisted that he no longer wants to be part of Turkey’s “tainted political atmosphere.”

In a statement published late last night in X, Davutoglu cited the imprisonment of opposition mayors on corruption charges and the appointment of state governors in their place, arguing that this had undermined the will of the voters.

“Turkey needs fundamental political reforms, including a return to a parliamentary system,” wrote Davutoglu, who served as prime minister for nearly a decade.

Turkey switched to a presidential system in 2018, which gives Erdogan vast powers.