New Turkish party announced ahead of local elections

By Kemal Karadag, Duygu Yener, Baris Gundogan

ANKARA

The son of a former Turkish prime minister established a new political party on Friday ahead of local elections in the country slated for March next year.

Fatih Erbakan, the son of late Necmettin Erbakan, named it the New Welfare Party.

Speaking to reporters after Friday prayer, Fatih Erbakan said: “I would like to give the good news that we have officially established today our long-awaited New Welfare Party [Yeniden Refah Partisi].”

They also submitted an official application for the party in the Interior Ministry.

Local elections are set to be held across Turkey on March 31, 2019.

Necmettin Erbakan who passed away on Feb. 27, 2011, was an important figure of Turkish politics.

On Feb. 28, 1997, the military was involved in the collapse of Necmettin Erbakan’s administration amid concerns expressed by generals about the government’s alleged Islamist program.

He was ousted following a National Security Council meeting. His Welfare Party was later also outlawed. A new civilian government then took over from him in a move that became known as Turkey’s "postmodern" coup.