ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s former deputy prime minister in charge of the economy, Mehmet Simsek, is not interested in active politics, a spokesperson for the AK Party said, adding that President Tayyip Erdogan had not made him an offer during a meeting on Monday.
Sources told Reuters last week that Erdogan wanted to give a top role in running the economy to Simsek, who is highly regarded in international circles, and that the party’s draft election manifesto marked a return to more orthodox, free market economic policies.
Party spokesperson Omer Celik said Erdogan and Simsek discussed recent developments and policies, adding that Simsek said he is ready to provide support to the AKP.
“If he preferred active politics, all the mechanisms, duties of our party are open to Mr. Mehmet,” Celik told reporters, adding that Erdogan had not made an offer to Simsek regarding a ministry, vice presidency or chief adviser position on Monday.
Turkey is due to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14 and opinion polls show that Erdogan will face his biggest electoral challenge yet in his two decades in power.
Erdogan’s popularity has suffered mainly due to an erosion of living standards caused by the depreciation in the Turkish lira at a time when Ankara began pursuing a controversial economic model that was based on low interest rates.
(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Alison Williams)
