Reformists within the outlawed pro-Islamic Virtue Party (VP) will officially announce the founding of their new party on Tuesday, almost three weeks after conservatives formed their own party, reported the Turkish Daily News.
The reformists are led by former mayor of Istanbul Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and are going to submit their petition to found a party to the interior ministry later in the day, the paper added.
Erdogan will then hold a press conference at which he will disclose the party's program and statutes.
The VP’s conservative wing founded their Saadet (Happiness and Contentment) Party on July 20 and put Recai Kutan in the leader's chair.
It looks certain that the reformists' new party will have Erdogan as its leader, said the paper.
Whether he can actually be the founder of a political party after having been jailed under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code is still subject to debate. Despite this, Erdogan is expected to take his place among the party founders, according to the paper.
The party said it will occupy the center right.
So as not to give the impression it is the continuation of the now defunct VP, none of that party's former deputies or provincial organization heads will be among the founders.
Instead all 75 members will be made up of teachers, businessmen, former bureaucrats and performing artists – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
