Ahmet Davutoglu Announces End of Political Career and Dissolves Future Party

Ahmet Davutoglu, once prime minister and a key architect of Turkey’s foreign policy, declared on X that he is withdrawing from politics and will dissolve the Future Party he launched in 2019. He blamed a “dirty political climate,” pointing to corruption, favoritism, and the erosion of accountability after the 2018 switch to a presidential system. Davutoglu also criticized the routine practice of politicians changing parties and the use of government trustees to replace elected officials, saying these trends damage democratic ethics.

The move marks a final break with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose relationship with Davutoglu soured over EU negotiations and governance disputes. Davutoglu’s academic background includes professorships at several Turkish universities and a stint in Malaysia. The Future Party had failed to gain traction, receiving only 0.11% of the vote in the 2024 elections.