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Since the defeat at Istanbul's municipal election, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's camp continues to crack slowly but surely. Thursday August 8, Ali Babacan, former close to the president made his supporters react on social networks by announcing that he is preparing to found his party.
from our correspondent in Istanbul,
Ali Babacan, one of the founders of the AKP presidential party, was notably Minister of Economy for eleven years. He had already caused a little shock a month ago by announcing his resignation from the AKP. Admittedly, everyone expected it, but symbolically, it was a blow for Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the image of his party.
This time, the former minister goes further. In a statement, Ali Babacan confirms that he has launched, with others, what he calls " works " to bring a " new program " to Turkey. Clearly, a new party, even if the word is not pronounced. After his stinging defeat in the municipal ballot of Istanbul, the risk of split is confirmed in the formation of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Babacan, at the top in the Turkish-speaking Twitter
Hardly the press release was published that this ad was around the social networks . To the point that the name of the former minister remained for several hours in the Top 10 most shared keywords on the Turkish-speaking Twitter.
►Also read: In Turkey, the internet is increasingly under control
Ali Babacan already has his supporters on social networks and they are responsive. " Here comes the doctor of the Turkish Economy ," exclaimed one user, sharing the link of one of the many accounts dedicated to the former minister. " Baba can do it " ( Baba can do it in French), proclaims in English in the text a viral GIF taking the picture of Ali Babacan. Others want to believe that this announcement has had the effect of a " political earthquake " and ask, ironically, if it would not have caused the significant earthquakes that shook western Turkey Thursday 8 August.
$ MAKE ECONOMY GREAT AGAIN $ pic.twitter.com/JkSD6jRRT1
Ali Babacan Memes (@teambabacan) June 28, 2019" Who does he represent beyond himself "
Unsurprisingly, the plans of the former minister are also skeptics, and Internet users are tearing themselves apart on the importance of this announcement. Indeed, without even mentioning supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who flooded Ali Babacan's Twitter account with messages accusing him of " betraying " their cause and their leader, the imminence of the creation of this new party is usually met with caution.
" Ali Babacan sent a signal ... Let's wait and see who will follow him ", delays a surfer. On Facebook, another wonders about the real weight of the politician in the electoral base of the AKP, " which is he beyond himself ? Asks the user, recalling that Ali Babacan, so far, owes his entire political career to Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Another, finally, points out that Ali Babacan is not very active on social networks: he has no official Facebook page and has not written anything since 2015 on his Twitter account , where he records 135,000 subscribers . Will this number quickly increase with the founding of his party? According to this user, it will be a good indicator of the popularity of the former minister and the chances of success of his political project.
►To read also: Turkey: Ekrem Imamoglu, the new mayor of Istanbul in the minority against the AKP