Good Party
{{Short description|Political party in Turkey}}
{{About |the Turkish political party|the South African political party|Good (political party)|}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Good Party
| logo = Logo of Good Party.svg
| logo_size = 150
| colorcode = {{party color|Good Party}}
| foundation = {{start date|2017|10|25|df=y}}
| ideology = {{ubl|class=nowrap|
|Turkish nationalism{{cite news |access-date=8 May 2022 |archive-date=27 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027030620/http://www.dw.com/en/turkish-nationalists-form-new-party-challenging-erdogan/a-41101708 |date=25 October 2017 |title=Turkish nationalists form new party challenging Erdogan |url=http://www.dw.com/en/turkish-nationalists-form-new-party-challenging-erdogan/a-41101708 |url-status=live |work=Deutsche Welle}}
|National conservatism{{refn|{{cite web |access-date=1 September 2018 |archive-date=15 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015185741/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/turkey.html |date=2018 |first=Wolfram |last=Nordsieck |title=Turkey |url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/turkey.html |website=Parties and Elections in Europe}}{{cite web |archive-date=18 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818052726/http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/1602198-yusuf-halacoglu-yeni-partiyi-haberturk-e-anlatti-defosu-olani-istemiyoruz |date=18 August 2017 |title=Yusuf Halaçoğlu yeni partiyi Habertürk'e anlattı: Defosu olanı istemiyoruz |url=http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/1602198-yusuf-halacoglu-yeni-partiyi-haberturk-e-anlatti-defosu-olani-istemiyoruz |website=Habertürk}}}}
|Parliamentarism{{refn|{{cite web |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-date=13 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613023841/https://iyiparti.org.tr/storage/img/doc/iyi-parti-guncel-parti-program.pdf |title=İyi Parti Programı |url=https://iyiparti.org.tr/storage/img/doc/iyi-parti-guncel-parti-program.pdf |url-status=live |website=iyiparti.org.tr}}{{cite web |access-date=10 October 2021 |archive-date=6 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106122257/https://www.dw.com/tr/analiz-iyi-parti-ab-taraf%C4%B1ndan-nas%C4%B1l-g%C3%B6r%C3%BCl%C3%BCyor/a-41142625 |title=Arşivlenmiş kopya |website=Deutsche Welle |url=https://www.dw.com/tr/analiz-iyi-parti-ab-taraf%C4%B1ndan-nas%C4%B1l-g%C3%B6r%C3%BCl%C3%BCyor/a-41142625 |url-status=live}}}}
|Pro-Europeanism{{cite news |access-date=27 October 2017 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144215/http://www.dw.com/tr/analiz-iyi-parti-ab-taraf%C4%B1ndan-nas%C4%B1l-g%C3%B6r%C3%BCl%C3%BCyor/a-41142625 |date=27 October 2017 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |title=Analiz: İyi Parti AB tarafından nasıl görülüyor? |url=http://www.dw.com/tr/analiz-iyi-parti-ab-taraf%C4%B1ndan-nas%C4%B1l-g%C3%B6r%C3%BCl%C3%BCyor/a-41142625 |url-status=live}}
}}
| headquarters = 2120. Cadde No: 9
Çankaya, Ankara
| split = Nationalist Movement Party{{cite web|url=http://www.jamesinturkey.com/good-move-just-good-intentions/|title=Good move, or just good intentions? - James in Turkey|date=25 October 2017}}
| native_name = İYİ Parti
| abbreviation = İYİ Parti (official){{Cite web |title=İYİ Parti Tüzüğü |url=https://iyipartikadikoy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/iyiparti-tuzuk-20191004.pdf |website=iyipartikadikoy.org |quote=İYİ Parti'nin kısa adı da İYİ Parti’dir.}}
İYİ, İYİP (unofficial)
| founder = {{ubl|Meral Akşener}}
| leader1_title = Chairperson
| leader1_name = Müsavat Dervişoğlu
| leader2_title = General Secretary
| leader2_name = Uğur Poyraz
| leader4_title = Parliamentary Leader
| leader4_name = Müsavat Dervişoğlu{{Cite web|url=https://iyiparti.org.tr/milletvekilleri|title=TBMM - İYİ Parti|access-date=8 March 2024}}
| leader5_title = Treasurer
| leader5_name = Ersin Beyaz
| national = Nation Alliance
(2018–2023)
| european = Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
(in the Council of Europe){{Cite web|url=https://pace.coe.int/en/aplist/polgroups/4/alliance-of-liberals-and-democrats-for-europe|title=Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|website=pace.coe.int}}
| colors = {{Color box|#FFDB00|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#40B4E5|border=darkgray}} Yellow and Turquoise
| slogan = Türkiye İYİ olacak!
('Turkey Will Be Good!')
| wing1_title = Youth wing
| wing1 = Good Youth
| membership_year = 2025
| membership = {{decrease}} 412,744{{cite web|title=İyi Parti|url=https://www.yargitaycb.gov.tr/icerik/1338|publisher=Court of Cassation|access-date=3 February 2025|language=tr}}
| position = {{Nowrap|Centre-right to right-wing{{cref|A}}}}
| seats1_title = Grand National Assembly
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|29|600|{{party color|Good Party}}}}
| seats2_title = Provinces
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|1|51|{{party color|Good Party}}}}
| seats3_title = District
municipalities
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|11|922|{{party color|Good Party}}}}
| seats4_title = Belde Municipalities
| seats4 = {{Composition bar|4|390|{{party color|Good Party}}}}
| seats5_title = Provincial councilors
| seats5 = {{Composition bar|14|1282|{{party color|Good Party}}}}
| seats6_title = Municipal Assemblies
| seats6 = {{Composition bar|480|20953|{{party color|Good Party}}}}
| flag = File:Flag of the Good Party.svg
| footnotes = {{cnote|A|The party has also been considered centrist{{bulleted list|{{cite web|url=https://www.haberturk.com/yazarlar/muharrem-sarikaya/3393110-secim-kanunu-teklifinden-o-maddenin-cikma-nedeni|title=Seçim Kanunu teklifinden o maddenin çıkma nedeni|last=Sarıkaya|first=Muharrem|date=2022-03-30|access-date=2022-09-01|publisher=Haber Turk|language=tr}}}} by some sources.}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
| country = Turkey
}}
The Good Party{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/turkey-opposition-recep-tayyip-erdogan-meral-aksener-coalition-splits-over-presidential-candidate/ | title=Turkey's opposition splits over candidate to fight Erdoğan | date=3 March 2023 }} (Turkish: İYİ Parti){{Cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/aksener-hints-at-run-for-presidency-in-2019-as-she-forms-good-party-121370|title=Akşener hints at run for presidency in 2019 as she forms 'Good Party'|website=Hürriyet Daily News|date=25 October 2017 |language=en|access-date=2018-04-25}} is a nationalist, Kemalist and conservative political party in Turkey,{{refn|{{cite web|url=http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/1602198-yusuf-halacoglu-yeni-partiyi-haberturk-e-anlatti-defosu-olani-istemiyoruz|title=Yusuf Halaçoğlu yeni partiyi Habertürk'e anlattı: Defosu olanı istemiyoruz|date=2017-08-18|website=Habertürk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/iyi-partiden-korona-ile-mucadele-icin-8-kanun-teklifi-273784h.htm|title = İYİ Parti'den korona ile mücadele için 8 kanun teklifi|date = 2 April 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/meral-aksener-halk-parlamenter-sistemi-istiyor-1713914|title = Meral Akşener: Halk parlamenter sistemi istiyor| date=December 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/meral-aksenerden-erdogana-neler-olacak-yaniti-ne-olacagini-soyleyeyim-erdogan-onumuzdeki-secimde-gidecek-455787h.htm|title = İYİ Parti lideri Meral Akşener'den Erdoğan'a neler olacak yanıtı|date = 5 June 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/iyi-parti-mustafa-kemal-ataturkun-huzurunda-175767h.htm|title=İyi Parti Mustafa Kemal Atatürk'ün huzurunda|date=26 October 2017}}}} established on 25 October 2017 by Meral Akşener. The party's name and flag is a reference to the tamga of the Kayı tribe.
The party was formed as a result in a split by prominent former members of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and later joined by some former members of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). The party's founder and chairperson, Meral Akşener, and its deputy chairperson, Koray Aydın, are both former members of the MHP before establishing the party. Plans to form a new party emerged amongst prominent MHP defectors after the MHP's support for a 'Yes' vote in the controversial 2017 constitutional referendum, as well as a failed attempt to unseat the party's governing leader. In addition to endorsing a more moderate civic nationalism as opposed to the ardent ethnic nationalism of the MHP, the party runs on an anti-establishment platform criticising both the governing and opposition parties in Turkey for their ineffectiveness.{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/meral-aksener-biz-siyasi-yelpazede-bir-alan-doldurmak-icin-yola-cikmis-degiliz-40568540|title=Meral Akşener: Biz, siyasi yelpazede bir alan doldurmak için yola çıkmış değiliz|date=2017-09-03|website=Hürriyet}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/meral-aksenerin-partisinin-adiyla-ilgili-ipucu-40564241|title=Son Dakika: Meral Akşener'in kuracağı yeni partinin ismi belli oldu|date=2017-08-28|website=Hürriyet}} The party describes itself as being in the centre of political spectrum though third-party sources have described the party as being centre-right{{refn|{{cite news |date=24 June 2018 |title=Erdogan wins another term as Turkey's president, election board says |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/turkey-elections-1.4720065 |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=CBC News}}{{cite news |last=Sazak |first=Selim |date=13 July 2021 |title=Turkey's Left-Wing 'Squad' Is Coming for Erdogan |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/13/sera-kadigil-turkeys-left-wing-squad-is-coming-for-erdogan/ |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=Foreign Policy |quote=Selim Sazak is the chief advisor to the secretary-general of Turkey's Iyi (Good) Party, a center-right opposition party.}}{{cite news |last=Fraser |first=Suzan |date= |title=President Erdogan surprises Turkey by calling early elections for June |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2018/04/18/president-erdogan-surprises-turkey-by-calling-early-elections-for-june.html |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=Toronto Star |publisher=The Associated Press}}{{cite news |last=Sharma |first=Suraj |date=28 February 2018 |title=Turkish breakfast TV: Hate speech, death threats... and the weather |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkish-breakfast-tv-hate-speech-death-threats-and-weather |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=Middle East Eye}}{{Cite news |last=Istanbul |first=Hannah Lucinda Smith |date=25 October 2017 |title=Nationalist forms new party to challenge Erdogan |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/money/article/nationalist-mp-forms-new-party-to-challenge-erdogan-fffwvh7vl |access-date=6 May 2018 |work=The Times |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |title=Turkey |url=https://europeelects.eu/turkey/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128084914/https://europeelects.eu/turkey/ |archive-date=2022-01-28 |access-date=2022-12-30}}{{Cite web |last=ispiseo |date=2022-12-01 |title=Turkey Toward 2023, Erdogan's Turning Point? |url=https://www.ispionline.it/en/pubblicazione/turkey-toward-2023-erdogans-turning-point-36834 |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=ISPI |language=en}}{{cite web |last=Umut |first=Uras |date=25 October 2017 |title=Ex-Turkish minister Meral Aksener launches new party |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/10/turkish-minister-meral-aksener-launches-party-171025200606462.html |publisher=Al Jazeera English |language=en}}}} or on the right-wing{{bulleted list|{{cite journal |last1= Esen |first1= Berk |last2= Gumuscu |first2= Sebnem |date= 24 May 2018 |title= The Perils of "Turkish Presidentialism" |journal= Review of Middle East Studies |volume= 52 |pages= 43–53 |url= https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/review-of-middle-east-studies/article/abs/perils-of-turkish-presidentialism/5E6656AA847CF14017764FC9AC8A9ACF |publisher= Cambridge University Press|doi= 10.1017/rms.2018.10 |hdl= 11693/49967 |s2cid= 158067063 |hdl-access= free }}|{{cite news |last= Winter |first= Chase |date= 25 June 2018 |title= Turkey's Erdogan claims victory in presidential and parliamentary elections |url= https://www.dw.com/en/turkeys-erdogan-claims-victory-in-presidential-and-parliamentary-elections/a-44375907 |work= Deutsche Welle (DW) |quote= Other Erdogan rivals, Meral Aksener of the right-wing Good Party and the imprisoned Selahattin Demirtas of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), each had around 8 percent. |access-date= 27 July 2022}}|{{cite news |last1= Butler |first1= Daren |last2= Altayli |first2= Birsen |date= 8 October 2021 |title= Turkish opposition deepens cooperation, heaping pressure on Erdogan |url= https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-opposition-deepens-cooperation-heaping-pressure-erdogan-2021-10-08/ |work= Reuters |quote= An alliance of the right-wing IYI Party and the centre-left CHP led to Erdogan's AKP losing control of Istanbul and Ankara municipalities in 2019, shattering his image of invincibility. |access-date= 27 July 2022}}|{{cite news |last= Gorcin |first= Omer |date= 4 April 2019 |title= Erdogan's challenger? Hope behind the man close to becoming Istanbul's new mayor |url= https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/erdogans-challenger-hope-behind-man-close-becoming-istanbuls-new-mayor |work= Middle East Eye |access-date= 16 January 2023}}|{{cite news |last= Ertan |first= Nazlan |date= 20 December 2022 |title= Opposition rallies around Istanbul mayor as Turks reel from conviction |url= https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/12/opposition-rallies-around-istanbul-mayor-turks-reel-conviction |work= Al-Monitor |access-date= 16 January 2023}}}} of the political spectrum.{{refn|{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 18 February 2022 |title= Mega-star Tarkan's hit strikes a chord in Turkey |url= https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/mega-star-tarkans-hit-strikes-a-chord-in-turkey.935513 |work= Times of Malta |publisher= Agence France-Presse (AFP) |access-date= 7 June 2022}}{{cite news |last= Osterlund |first= Paul |date= 14 May 2022 |title= As Turkey's economic crisis grows, politicians spar over refugees |url= https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/14/as-turkeys-economic-crisis-grows-politicians-spar-over-refugees |work= Al Jazeera |access-date= 7 June 2022}}{{cite news |last= Soylu |first= Ragip |date= 8 April 2019 |title= Erdogan backs call to hold fresh elections in Istanbul amid voter fraud allegations |url= https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/erdogan-backs-call-hold-fresh-elections-istanbul-amid-voter-fraud-allegations |work= Middle East Eye |location= Ankara |access-date= 7 June 2022}}{{cite news |last= Weise |first= Zia |date= 2 January 2020 |title= Turkish parliament approves troop deployment to Libya |url= https://www.politico.eu/article/turkish-parliament-approves-troop-deployment-to-libya/ |work= Politico |access-date= 7 June 2022}}{{cite book |last= Somer |first= Murat |author-link= |date= April 2022 |title= Return to Point Zero
The Turkish-Kurdish Question and How Politics and Ideas (Re)Make Empires, Nations and States |url= |publisher= State University of New York Press |isbn= 9781438486734}}}}
It puts a particular emphasis on the restoration of the parliamentary system and the integrity of the judiciary and other institutions.{{cite web |date=2017-10-25 |title=İYİ Parti'nin programından flaş detaylar: En önemli iç düşman… |url=http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gundem/iyi-partinin-programindan-en-onemli-dis-dusman-feto-2062644/ |website=Sözcü}} The party has been widely described as an anti-Erdoğanist alternative for right-leaning voters disillusioned with both the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP).{{cite news |date=25 October 2017 |title=İYİ Parti kuruluyor, açılımı ne olacak? Meral Akşener kimdir? İYİ Parti'de kimler var? |work=Sözcü |url=http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gundem/meral-aksener-kimdir-aksenerin-partisinin-adi-ne-oldu-iyi-partinin-acilimi-ne-olacak-2062395/ |access-date=25 October 2017}}{{cite news |date=25 October 2017 |title=Meral Akşener'in partisinin adı: İyi Parti |work=Posta |url=http://www.posta.com.tr/meral-aksener-in-partisinin-adi-belli-oldu-iyi-parti-haberi-1345481 |access-date=25 October 2017}}{{cite news |date=25 October 2017 |title=Meral Akşener'in İYİ Partisi, Türkiye'nin faaliyetteki 87. partisi oluyor |work=Halk TV |url=http://halktv.com.tr/meral-aksenerin-iyi-partisi-turkiyenin-faaliyetteki-87-partisi-oluyor-240057 |access-date=25 October 2017}}
History
=MHP leadership challenge=
{{main|2016 Nationalist Movement Party Extraordinary Congress}}
Meral Akşener, a former Minister of the Interior who served from 1996 to 1997, was a prominent member of parliament from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) from 2007 to November 2015, having been a member of the centre-right True Path Party (DYP) during her ministerial career.{{cite web|url=http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gunun-icinden/meral-aksener-kimdir-kac-yasinda-nereli-yeni-partisinin-ismi-ne-aksener-parti-kuruyor-1993016/|title=Meral Akşener kimdir, kaç yaşında, nereli, yeni partisinin ismi ne?|date=2017-08-29|website=Sözcü}} Her relation with MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli became noticeably strained after Bahçeli refused to nominate her for another term as Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly after the June 2015 general election, a post she had held since 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/1094991-mhp-meclis-baskanvekilligi-icin-koray-aydini-belirledi|title=MHP, Meclis Başkanvekilliği için Meral Akşener'in yerine Koray Aydın'ı belirledi|date=2015-06-25|website=Habertürk}} Bahçeli eventually withdrew her parliamentary nomination before the November 2015 snap election, resulting in her losing her parliamentary seat.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler/2015/09/150918_mhp_aksener_sinan_onus|title=MHP'de Meral Akşener sürprizi|last=Onuş|first=Sinan|date=2015-09-18|website=BBC Türkçe}}
The MHP, having won 16.29% of the vote and 80 seats in June 2015, suffered a heavy defeat in the November snap election with just 11.90% of the vote and 40 seats. The loss was widely blamed on Bahçeli's refusal to consider any coalition agreement after the June 2015 election resulted in a hung parliament.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/elections/2015/11/03/chp-mhp-and-hdp-destined-to-remain-in-opposition|title=CHP, MHP and HDP destined to remain in opposition|last=Paksoy|first=Yunus|date=2015-11-02|website=Daily Sabah}} The significant loss resulted in MHP dissidents including Akşener launching a drive to unseat Bahçeli from the party's leadership, a process made difficult by the party's strict bylaws. Other prominent MHP dissidents who declared their candidacy for the leadership included Ümit Özdağ, Koray Aydın and Sinan Oğan. Özdağ and Aydın would eventually join Akşener in forming the İYİ Party, as did prominent MHP dissident MPs Yusuf Halaçoğlu, {{Interlanguage link|İsmail Ok|tr||WD=}} and {{Interlanguage link|Nuri Okutan|tr||WD=}}.{{cite web|url=http://t24.com.tr/haber/yilan-hikayesine-donen-mhpnin-tuzuk-kurultayi-bugun,345961|title=MHP'de muhaliflerin olağanüstü kurultaydaki tüzük değişikliğine yönelik tüm önergeleri kabul edildi|date=2016-06-19|website=T24}}
File:MHP 19 June Congress 2.jpg, eventually nullified by the courts]]
With several MHP delegates supporting the dissidents' drive for a fresh leadership election, Akşener and the other leadership candidates joined forces to hold a constitutional convention, claiming they had the right to do so due to surpassing the required number of delegate signatures required. The MHP leadership boycotted the congress and declared it illegal, taking the process to court. The courts eventually upheld the claim that enough signatures had been submitted and forced the MHP leadership to hold a congress.{{cite web|url=https://m.bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/173768-mhp-de-muhalifler-kazandi-mahkeme-kurultay-karari-verdi|title=MHP'de Muhalifler Kazandı, Mahkeme Kurultay Kararı Verdi|date=2016-04-08|website=Bianet}} In a controversial move, another court and the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey (YSK) both struck down the ruling and asked the MHP leadership to not hold a congress.{{cite web|url=http://www.diken.com.tr/ysk-kararini-verdi-mhpde-10-temmuzda-kongre-yapilamaz/|title=YSK kararını verdi: MHP'de 10 Temmuz'da kongre yapılamaz - Diken|date=2016-06-28|website=Diken}} The move was widely seen as an interference in the judicial process and inner-party democracy by the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Ministry of Justice, which both had an interest in keeping the increasingly cooperative Bahçeli as MHP leader and preventing Akşener from mounting a challenge to the government.{{cite web|url=http://www.gazetevatan.com/bekir-bozdag-dan-mhp-li-muhaliflere-cevap-944992-gundem/|title=Bekir Bozdağ'dan MHP'li muhaliflere cevap|date=2016-05-14|website=Vatan}} Akşener and several other dissidents were expelled from the party in the following months, mounting unsuccessful challenges against their suspensions. The constitutional convention held in June 2016 was annulled by the courts in January 2017.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}
=2017 constitutional referendum=
{{main|2017 Turkish constitutional referendum}}
File:MHP inner-party opposition No campaign 2.jpg]]
In December 2016, the governing AKP and opposition MHP agreed to put forward a joint constitutional amendment proposal that would change Turkey's parliamentary system into an executive presidency. The MHP's support for the proposals came as a surprise given the party's historically staunch opposition to an executive presidency.{{cite web |url=http://www.ensonhaber.com/bahceli-anayasaya-neden-evet-dedigini-acikladi-2017-01-18.html|title=Bahçeli anayasaya neden evet dediğini açıkladı|date=2017-01-18|website=Ensonhaber}} Many MHP members and prominent dissidents refused to support the party leadership and began their own 'No' campaigns. Polls and dissident politicians predicted that between 70 and 90% of MHP voters would defect from their party's official position and vote 'No'.{{cite web |url=http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gundem/mhp-evet-dese-bile-mhpli-hayir-diyecek-1679818/|title=MHP 'evet' dese bile MHP'li 'hayır' diyecek|date=2017-02-15|website=Sözcü }}
Akşener, Okutan, Halaçoğlu and Özdağ all became prominent 'No' campaigners, with many political commentators seeing the alliance as a signal of a forthcoming new political party united under Akşener's leadership.{{cite web|url=http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gundem/mhpli-muhalifler-hayir-kampanyasini-baslatti-1686815/|title=MHP'li muhalifler 'Hayır' kampanyasını başlattı|date=2017-02-18|website=Sözcü}} The referendum was very controversial due to a last-minute change in the ballot counting procedure by the Supreme Electoral Council, causing the dissident nationalists and other 'No' campaigners to allege fraud and not recognise the results.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-39613985|title='Mühürsüz oy' tartışmalarının hukuki boyutu ne?|last=Özdemir|first=Özge |date=17 April 2017|website=bbc.com}} According to official results, the 'No' side lost with 48.6% of the vote to 'Yes's 51.4%, though Akşener alleged that the actual result was a victory for 'No' by a margin of 52–48%.{{cite web|url=https://www.haberler.com/meral-aksener-hayir-in-orani-yuzde-52-9508758-haberi/|title=Meral Akşener: YSK'ya Göre 'Hayır'ın Oranı Yüzde 52, Evet Yüzde 48|date=2017-04-16|website=Haberler.com}}
=Party preparations=
Following the 2017 Turkish constitutional referendum, it was announced that MHP dissidents would unite under a new party led by Akşener, with the party's official announcement expected in September or October 2017. During its preparation period, the party was touted as a 'nationalist conservative' alternative to the MHP and the AKP, while endorsing the principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The party was also described to be strictly centrist. During the establishment preparations, the names of 'Centrist Democrat Party' (Merkez Demokrat Parti) and 'Mainland Party' (Anayurt Partisi) were alleged to have been selected.{{cite web|url=http://www.mynet.com/haber/politika/meral-aksenerin-yeni-partisi-merkez-demokrat-partinin-logosu-sizdirildi-3227681-1|title=Meral Akşener'in yeni partisi Merkez Demokrat Parti'nin logosu sızdırıldı|date=2017-08-30|website=Mynet}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/siyaset/822520/Meral_Aksener_in_kuracagi_partinin_logosu_belli_oldu.html|title=Meral Akşener'in kuracağı partinin logosu belli oldu|date=2017-09-13|website=Cumhuriyet}}
=Formation=
{{See also|İYİ Party founding convention, 2017}}
File:İYİ Party establishment 3.jpg
File:KAYI BOYU DAMGASI.svg flag from which the party takes its name]]
The party was announced at a congress at the Nâzım Hikmet Cultural Centre in Ankara on 25 October 2017.{{cite news|title=Meral Akşener'in Partisi, 25 Ekim'de Kuruluyor|url=https://www.haberler.com/meral-aksener-partisinin-kurulus-tarihini-10153689-haberi/|access-date=25 October 2017|work=Haberler|date=20 October 2017}} On that day, the party's name, logo and slogan were revealed to the public. Meral Akşener was formally elected as the party's first leader—unopposed, carrying all votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.mynet.com/haber/politika/son-dakika-meral-aksener-genel-baskan-secildi-3345004-1|title=Meral Akşener genel başkan seçildi|date=2017-10-25|website=Mynet}}
==Legal disputes and challenges==
The party's name, logo and slogan were immediately subject to legal challenges and controversy, with allegations that they bore resemblance to AKP Antalya Mayor Menderes Türel's 2014 local election campaign. Türel issued a statement claiming that he owned the patents as of 24 October 2015. The AKP Mayor of Bilecik, Selim Yağcı, threatened legal action alleging that the logo was stolen from the official seal of Bilecik Province.{{cite web|url=https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/akp-li-bilecik-belediyesi-iyi-parti-ye-dava-aciyor-187555.html|title=AKP'li Bilecik Belediyesi İyi Parti'ye dava açıyor|date=2017-10-30|website=www.birgun.net}} The Kayı tribe Association also announced legal challenges, claiming that they had the patent to the flag since 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.internethaber.com/iyi-partiye-bir-dava-daha-patentini-2014te-aldik-1819254h.htm|title=İyi Parti'ye bir dava daha! Patentini 2014'te aldık|date=2017-10-30|website=internet Haber}} A former AKP mayoral candidate alleged that the party's slogan belonged to him and threatened legal challenges if the party refused to stop using it.{{cite web|url=http://www.haberturk.com/iyi-parti-ni-sloganina-patent-engeli-1687176|title=İyi Parti'nin sloganına patent engeli|date=2017-10-25|website=Habertürk}}
=2018 elections=
{{Main|Meral Akşener presidential campaign, 2018}}
The party quickly gained five members of parliament in the Grand National Assembly who were originally elected for other parties, and numerous provincial and municipal council members that also defected from their former parties.{{cite web|title=MHP'li meclis üyesi partisinden istifa edip, İYİ Parti'ye geçti|url=https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/mhp-li-meclis-uyesi-partisinden-istifa-edip-iyi-parti-ye-gecti-187004.html|website=www.birgun.net}} On 22 April 2018, in the run-up to general elections, a further 15 MPs from the CHP moved to the İYİ Party following a joint agreement between the two parties. This was to allow the İYİ Party to form a parliamentary group that would be eligible to field a presidential candidate without the need to collect signatures and compete independently.{{cite web|last1=Başaran|first1=Rıfat|title=CHP'den 15 milletvekili İYİ Parti'ye geçti|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/son-dakika-iddiasi-chpden-15-milletvekili-iyi-partiye-gececek-40813377|access-date=22 April 2018|website=Hürriyet|date=22 April 2018 }}
Meral Akşener was the party's 2018 presidential candidate, but didn't stand for election as an MP.{{cite web|url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/politika/2017/12/29/meral-aksener-cumhurbaskanligina-aday-olacagim/|title=Meral Akşener: Cumhurbaşkanlığı'na aday olacağım|date=2017-12-29|publisher=Gazete Duvar}} İYİ participated in the Nation Alliance (Millet İtifakı) with the CHP, SP, and DP in the parliamentary election, receiving 9.96% of the vote.
= 2019 municipal election =
{{Main|2019 Turkish local elections}}
Akşener continued the alliance with Kılıçdaroğlu's CHP, dividing the country into regions where only CHP and İYİ candidates would run without interfering with each other. Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş won as joint Nation Alliance candidates for the Istanbul and Ankara municipalities respectively, however İYİ failed to capture any provincial or metropolitan mayorships for themselves.
= 2023 elections =
In 2020, prominent İYİ member Ümit Özdağ separated from the party, forming the right wing Victory Party the next year.
On 3 March 2023, Meral Akşener announced that she took the decision to withdraw from the Nation Alliance, and said her party would not support main opposition CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as the joint candidate in the 2023 Turkish presidential election.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-03 |title=Akşener parts ways with 'Table of Six' - Türkiye News |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/aksener-parts-ways-with-table-of-six-181346 |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en}} However, on 6 March, Akşener and the Good Party rejoined the alliance after intense public criticism and after it was announced that Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş would be appointed vice-presidents if Kılıçdaroğlu won the presidential election.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-06 |title=Nation alliance nominates CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu for presidential polls - Türkiye News |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opposition-announces-kilicdaroglu-as-joint-candidate-181405|access-date=2023-03-06 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en}}
On 31 March 2023, the Istanbul headquarters of the Good Party was targeted in a shooting attack.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-31 |title=Son Dakika: İYİ Parti İstanbul İl Başkanlığı'na silahlı saldırı |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/turkiye/son-dakika-iyi-parti-istanbul-il-baskanligina-silahli-saldiri-2066680 |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.cumhuriyet.com.tr |language=tr}} Akşener criticized Erdoğan after the attack by saying "A political party cannot be intimidated one and a half months before an election. We are not afraid. I fear nothing but God. Mr. Recep, I am not afraid of you. But you are the president and you are responsible for every citizen in this country."{{Cite web |date=2023-03-31 |title="I am not afraid, Mr. Recep!" |url=https://www.gerceknews.com/turkey/i-am-not-afraid-mr-recep-219422h |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Gercek News |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331145623/https://www.gerceknews.com/turkey/i-am-not-afraid-mr-recep-219422h |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-31 |title=Son Dakika: Meral Akşener İl Başkanlığı'nda... Beklenen açıklama geldi |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/turkiye/son-dakika-meral-aksener-il-baskanliginda-beklenen-aciklama-geldi-2066745 |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.cumhuriyet.com.tr |language=tr}}
İYİ participated in the Nation Alliance with the CHP, SP, DP, DEVA, and GP in the 2023 parliamentary election, receiving 9.69% of the vote. After the election, İYİ's secretary general Uğur Poyraz declared the Nation Alliance dissolved.
= 2024 local elections =
For the 2024 local elections, Akşener refused an offer from the CHP for an electoral alliance. While the Good Party won the mayoralty of Nevşehir province, its national showing collapsed to less than 5% due to most of its supporters voting for the CHP, which won the popular vote. Meral Akşener declared her intention to resign from the party leadership, and was replaced by Müsavat Dervişoğlu, her preferred successor, in a party congress.
Ideology and policies
File:Meral Akşener İYİ Party 2.jpg giving her first speech as party leader, 25 October 2017]]Meral Akşener describes İYİ Party as a nationalist, developmentalist and democratic party that is on the centre of the political spectrum.Akşener: [https://www.politikyol.com/meral-aksener-politikyola-konustu-turkiye-bu-sistemi-birakin-2023u-bu-hafta-sonuna-kadar-bile-tasiyamaz/ "İyi Parti siyasi yelpazenin tam merkezindedir." Eng: "Good Party is on the centre of the political spectrum"]{{Cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/politika/iyi-parti-genel-baskani-aksener-yola-ciktigimiz-hicbir-grubu-ve-insani-yolda-birakmadik/1938289|title=İYİ Parti Genel Başkanı Akşener: Yola çıktığımız hiçbir grubu ve insanı yolda bırakmadık|website=www.aa.com.tr|access-date=8 March 2024}} The media describes İYİ Party as a Turkish nationalist, conservative and Kemalist political party on the centre-right or right-wing.{{refn|{{cite web|url=https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/aksener-in-kurulacak-yeni-partisi-icin-bir-isim-onerisi-daha-177478.html|title=Akşener'in kurulacak yeni partisi için bir isim önerisi daha|date=2017-09-01|website=www.birgun.net}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bursadabugun.com/haber/chp-den-iyi-parti-hakkinda-ilk-aciklama-886003.html|title=CHP'den İYİ Parti hakkında ilk açıklama|date=2017-10-26|website=bursadabugun.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.habererk.com/siyaset/kilicdaroglu-meral-aksener-siyasi-boslugu-gordu-h38421.html|title=Kılıçdaroğlu: "Meral Akşener siyasi boşluğu gördü"|date=2017-08-17|website=www.habererk.com}}{{cite news |last1= Butler |first1= Daren |last2= Altayli |first2= Birsen |date= 8 October 2021 |title= Turkish opposition deepens cooperation, heaping pressure on Erdogan |url= https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-opposition-deepens-cooperation-heaping-pressure-erdogan-2021-10-08/ |work= Reuters |access-date= 30 May 2022}}{{cite news |last= Winter |first= Chase |date= 25 June 2018 |title= Turkey's Erdogan claims victory in presidential and parliamentary elections |url= https://www.dw.com/en/turkeys-erdogan-claims-victory-in-presidential-and-parliamentary-elections/a-44375907 |work= Deutsche Welle (DW) |access-date= 30 May 2022}}{{cite news |last= Uras |first= Umut |date= 22 June 2018 |title= Turkey's AK Party, opposition scramble for votes ahead of polls |url= https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2018/6/22/turkeys-ak-party-opposition-scramble-for-votes-ahead-of-polls/ |work= Al Jazeera |access-date= 30 May 2022}}}} The party advocates for a new constitution and a parliamentary form of government and is opposed to Erdoğan's executive aggrandizement.
Although the party described itself as nationalist conservative during its formation period, its ideology represents civic nationalism rather than the MHP's ardent ethnic nationalism. It is strongly in favour of the ideals and principles of Turkey's founding president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.{{cite web |date=2017-08-18 |title=Yusuf Halaçoğlu kurulacak yeni partiyi anlattı: Milliyetçi, muhafazakâr ve Atatürkçü olacak |url=http://t24.com.tr/haber/yusuf-halacoglu-kurulacak-yeni-partiyi-anlatti-milliyetci-muhafazakar-ve-ataturkcu-olacak,420573 |website=T24}}
= Feminism =
Akşener employed populist and radical feminist rhetoric in the early days of her party.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} In addition to her being the first woman candidate for Turkish presidency in history, Akşener put great emphasis on women's rights in Turkey and made this a central plank of her presidential campaign. She announced that her movement would spark a Tülbent Revolution - named after a traditional piece of clothing which rural Turkish women wear to partially cover their heads, but that is non-religious nor associated with political Islam. It would result in reconciliation of different lifestyles in Turkey, since according to Akşener, respect is more important than tolerance because tolerance usually describes a majority's behavior upon a minority which is not the case in Turkish society.{{cite web |last1=Dündar |first1=Uğur |title=Uğur Dündar ile Halk Arenası |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HH9d_tXJEA |website=YouTube |date=18 May 2018 |publisher=Halk TV}}{{cite news |date=15 June 2018 |title=Akşener'den Ahlat'ta bayram sofrası: Bir hayalim var |publisher=Hürriyet |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/aksenerden-ahlatta-bayram-sofrasi-bir-hayalim-var-40868620}}
Her campaign drew attention to the drastic increase of cases of violence against women and rape in Turkey under the AKP administration. Akşener declared her pledge to lift good conduct time in all cases of violence against women and rape, and instead of forcefully sending women to therapy in such cases, her party would send the perpetrator to mandatory therapy before or after serving their sentence and therapy for women would be optional.{{cite news |date=7 June 2018 |title=Akşener: Kadınlara şiddet ve tecavüzde 'iyi hal indirimi'ni kaldıracağım |publisher=ABC |url=http://www.abcgazetesi.com/aksener-kadinlara-siddet-ve-tecavuzde-iyi-hal-indirimini-kaldiracagim-88824h.htm}} She is heavily against child marriages.{{cite news |last1=Kolcu |first1=Gamze |date=2 June 2018 |title=Akşener: Sorunları kadın gözüyle, yüreğiyle çözmek için yola çıktık |publisher=Hürriyet |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/aksener-sorunlari-kadin-gozuyle-yuregiyle-cozmek-icin-yola-ciktik-40855889}} Although there was an increase in participation of women in the workforce in Turkey, Akşener stated she finds this inadequate and would implement benevolent sexism to increase participation of women in workforce and to reduce the wage gap.
İYİ Party does not have a women's wing. Akşener advocated that women's wings discriminate against women. Instead İYİ Party has mandatory women's quota of 25% for all branches and candidates of her party, including the general administrative board.{{cite news |title=Akşener: İYİ Parti bir kadın hareketidir |url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/aksener-iyi-parti-bir-kadin-siyaset-2567431/ |publisher=Milliyet |date=6 December 2017}} As of 2023, İYİ party's 43 MP delegation to the Grand National Assembly contains only 5 women, which is a ratio of 11.6%.
= Foreign policy =
Akşener and her party has promoted pro-Europeanism, and is in favor of continuing European integration of Turkey and close relations between EU and Turkey.{{cite web |title=İYİ Party Program |url=http://iyiparti.org.tr/Assets/pdf/iyi_parti_programi.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619092010/http://iyiparti.org.tr/Assets/pdf/iyi_parti_programi.pdf |archive-date=2018-06-19 |access-date=2018-03-07 |publisher=İyi Party}} However she is against a "privileged partnership" and does not refrain from criticizing the certain attitudes implemented by EU in the past process in its party program, stating that "Positive EU-Turkey relations are vital for EU as vital as they are to Turkey, but de facto freeze of the full membership process and negotiations is not only because of Turkey's inability to satisfy all the membership requirements but also because of EU's policy towards Turkey being shaped through interior fears in line with rising racist sentiment across EU in the last years."
İYİ Party supports Turkey's NATO membership.{{cite news |title=Ümit Özdağ yeni parti programının şifrelerini anlattı |url=https://www.ulusal.com.tr/gundem/umit-ozdag-yeni-parti-programinin-sifrelerini-anlatti-h173031.html |publisher=Ulusal |date=14 August 2017}} They oppose Sweden's accession into NATO.{{Cite web |last=Yazıcıoğlu |first=Yıldız |date=26 December 2023 |title=İsveç için gözler artık 2024'ün başında TBMM'de |url=https://www.voaturkce.com/a/isvec-icin-gozler-2024un-basinda-tbmmde/7413513.html |website=Voice of America}} Listing the party's reservations to vote "yes" for Sweden's NATO membership, the deputy chairman of the party has stated that "Turkey's request for F-16s should be approved immediately".
= Other stances =
The Good Party identifies the Gülen Movement as the "most serious internal threat" to national security and advocates for an effective counter-terrorism strategy against the group which have been alleged to be behind the failed coup attempt in July 2016.
The party supports the welfare state.{{cite web |date=25 October 2017 |title=İyi Parti - Parti Programı |url=http://iyiparti.org.tr/Assets/pdf/iyi_parti_programi.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619092010/http://iyiparti.org.tr/Assets/pdf/iyi_parti_programi.pdf |archive-date=19 June 2018 |access-date=7 March 2018}}
The party calls for a full adoption of UNESCO Declaration of Animal Rights.
The party supports freedom of speech, and was against the 2017–2020 block of Wikipedia in Turkey.{{cite news |title=İyi Parti: Seçimi kazanırsak Wikipedia'yı açacağız |language=tr |newspaper=ABC Gazetesi |url=http://www.abcgazetesi.com/iyi-parti-secimi-kazanirsak-wikipediayi-acacagiz-85507h.htm |access-date=2018-05-25}}
After the United States Congress voted to recognize the Armenian Genocide in 2019, party spokesperson {{ill|Yavuz Ağıralioğlu|tr}} said, "We will retaliate against it with our decision to name our children Enver, Cemal and Talat".{{cite news |title=Name children after Ottoman leaders to hit back at U.S., Turkish politician says |language=en |work=Ahval |url=https://ahvalnews.com/armenian-genocide/name-children-after-ottoman-leaders-hit-back-us-turkish-politician-says |access-date=10 December 2020}}{{cite tweet|number=1189556490778152960|user=ankahabera|title=Bu münasebetsizlik devam ederse tüm cihan bilsin ki kız çocuklarımız da dahil herkese Talat ismini veririz.|author=Anka News Agency|author-link=Anka News Agency|date=30 October 2019|trans-title=If this inappropriateness continues, everybody should know that we will name everyone, including our daughters, after Talat}}
Election results
=Parliamentary elections=
class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2| Election ! rowspan=2| Leader ! colspan=3| Votes ! colspan=2| Seats ! rowspan=2| Position ! rowspan=2| Map |
style="width:50px"| #
! style="width:50px"| % ! style="width:50px"| Rank ! style="width:50px"| # ! style="width:50px"| ± |
---|
2018
|rowspan="2" |Meral Akşener | 4,990,710 | 9.96 | 5th | style="text-align:center;"| {{Composition bar compact|43|600|{{party color|İyi Party}}|#d40000|text-shadow=no}} | new | {{no2|Opposition}} | 200px |
2023
| 5,272,482 | 9.69 | 4th | style="text-align:center;"| {{Composition bar compact|43|600|{{party color|İyi Party}}|#d40000|text-shadow=no}} | {{decrease}} 0.18 pp | {{no2|Opposition}} | 200px |
= Presidential elections =
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; border:none | ||||
Election | Candidate | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018
|| 100px Meral Akşener || 3,649,030 || 7.29% || 4th |
= Local elections =
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; border:none | ||||||||
Election | Party leader | Mayoral election votes | Percentage of votes | Municipal councillor votes | Percentage of votes | Number of municipalities | Number of councillors | Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019
|rowspan="2" |Meral Akşener || 3,351,418 || 7.76% || 3,142,757 || 7.31% || {{Composition bar compact|24|1335|{{party color|İyi Party}}|#d40000|text-shadow=no}} || {{Composition bar compact|1092|20745|{{party color|İyi Party}}|#d40000|text-shadow=no}} || 220px | ||||||||
2024
|| || || || || || || |
Leadership
= Party leaders =
class="wikitable"
!# !Leader {{small|(birth–death)}} !Portrait !Took office !Left office !Term of Office | |
style="background:{{party color|Good Party}}" |{{white|1}}
{{small|{{birth date and age|1956|7|18|df=y}}}} |File:Meral Akşener, November 2021 (1) (cropped).jpg |25 October 2017 |1 May 2024 |{{ayd|2017|10|25|2024|5|1|df=y}} | |
style="background:{{party color|Good Party}}" |{{white|2}}
{{small|{{birth date and age|1960|2|1|df=y}}}} | File:Müsavat Dervisoglu konusma (cropped).jpg
|1 May 2024 |Incumbent |{{ayd|2024|5|1|duration=on}} |
= Board =
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |
#
!Name !Mission |
---|
1
|Chairperson |
2
|General Secretary |
3
|Deputy Chairman / Director of Political Affairs |
4
|Director of Financial Affairs (Treasurer) |
5
|Director of the Organization |
6
|Şükrü Kuleyin |Director of Institutional Relations |
7
|Director of Juristical, Election Affairs and Parliamentary Relations |
8
|Director of International Relations |
9
|Kevser Ofluoğlu |Director of Women, Family and Social Services |
10
|Director of Turkic World and Organization Abroad |
11
|Cenk Özatıcı |Director of National Security and Immigration Policies |
12
|Director of Local Administrations |
13
|Director of Media Promotion |
14
|Director of Economical Policies |
15
|Alparslan Yüce |Director of R&D-Education and Politics Academy |
16
|Alper Akdoğan |Director of NGO Relations |
17
|İmren Nilay Tüfekçi |Director of Social Policies |
18
|Kadir Ulusoy |Director of Agricultural Policies |
19
|Dursun Çolak |Deputy General Secretary |
= Parliamentary group leaders =
class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:90%"
!# !Name !Mission !Mission start |
1
|Group President |1 May 2024 |
2
|rowspan="2"|Deputy Presidents |rowspan="2"|6 May 2024 |
3 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://iyiparti.org.tr/}}
{{Turkish nationalism}}
{{Turkish political parties}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Good Party}}
Category:2017 establishments in Turkey
Category:Conservative parties in Turkey
Category:National conservative parties
Category:Nationalist parties in Turkey
Category:Political parties established in 2017