Feb. 10 has been set as the deadline for bureaucrats who want to become lawmakers in the June 7 elections to resign from their current posts. With the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at the heart of excited talks, it is rumored that those bureaucrats who cannot get unofficial approval to run from the president and prime minister are not allowed to resign. 

The only figures who have been approved to run for certain on the ticket of the AK Party are Finance Ministry Undersecretary Naci Ağbal and Turkish Airlines (THY) executive Hamdi Topçu. The pair are expected to resign from their posts this week so that they may run for deputy positions in the election.

Another figure who has been much discussed by the AK Party behind the scenes is the president's daughter Sümeyye. According to several media reports, the Erdoğan family has not reached a definite decision regarding Sümeyye's candidacy for deputy, though they view her as likely to run.

Meanwhile, the AK Party is expected to increase its number of headscarved female lawmakers for this term, with 60 women expected to run for deputy positions and almost half of that number including women who wear the headscarf.

Whether or not National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief Hakan Fidan will for run for Parliament will also become clear this week.

There is also great speculation regarding whether Erdoğan's top advisor Yiğit Bulut will run for a deputy position, though there is strong opposition within the AK Party to Bulut's possible candidacy.

Four former AK Party ministers, Egemen Bağış, Muammer Güler, Zafer Çağlayan and Erdoğan Bayraktar, who were forced to resign from their posts after the eruption of two major corruption scandals in 2013 are not expected to run in the June 7 elections.

 

(Today's Zaman)