 resigned on Friday following a series of controversial social media posts, fueling speculation about internal tensions within the party, although leader Devlet Bahçeli sought to downplay the development.){kind=link}
A senior official from Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) resigned on Friday following a series of controversial social media posts, fueling speculation about internal tensions within the party, although leader Devlet Bahçeli sought to downplay the development.
İzzet Ulvi Yönter, an MHP deputy chairman, announced his resignation on social media late Friday.
Shortly before stepping down, Yönter shared a series of posts referring to an alleged “agent” who had infiltrated the party, using harsh language and threatening a confrontation. He later deleted one of the messages but posted another with similarly aggressive wording.
Turkish media reports claimed that Yönter’s remarks were directed at Eyyup Yıldız, an adviser to MHP Chairman Bahçeli, raising questions about possible infighting among senior figures in the party.
Yıldız has served as Bahçeli’s chief adviser since 2019 and plays a central role in the party’s communication and organizational strategy, overseeing major events such as party congresses and rallies. He is also a prominent figure in the business world as the founder and chairman of the ATO Congresium event center in Ankara.
Bahçeli rejected suggestions of discord, describing the resignation as a personal decision despite reports of internal conflict within the party.
Speaking at a party event on Saturday, Bahçeli said Yönter stepped down to focus on his academic career.
“He has made valuable contributions to our party,” Bahçeli said. “Mr. İzzet requested permission to further advance his academic work after earning his doctoral degree.”
Yönter has served as an MHP lawmaker since 2015 and later as a party deputy chairman.
Bahçeli also denied that the resignation was linked to any internal conflict.
“This is not about resentment,” he said. “It’s not a situation similar to those seen in other parties.”
He added that a replacement for the vacant deputy chair position would be appointed soon and stressed that concepts such as division, anger and revenge were foreign to the MHP.
Despite Bahçeli’s remarks, Yönter’s posts and the timing of his resignation have drawn attention to possible internal tensions within the party, which is a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).