Dervis: I Have No Intention of Being a Leader

Dervis said he did not think it would be useful to maintain his positions after the local elections. Dervis said: "I decided to resign in order to conduct more original, free and independent studies on the content, programs and solutions in social democracy. I need to retreat to write a book." Dervis reacted against questions about the leadership: "I do not have any intention of becoming a leader. Why can’t I make anyone believe this?"

Baykal responded to Dervis’ resignation decision by saying, ‘there is no need to worry.’ The CHP Leader indirectly responded to Dervis’ suggestion of ‘social democratic synthesis’ by saying, ‘our DNA will not change; nobody should wait for that’.

Dervis was expected to join the New Turkey Party (YTP) founded by Ismail Cem, Husamettin Ozkan, and a group of people that left the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) in August of 2002, but surprisingly joined the CHP instead. Dervis told Baykal on the phone Tuesday morning that his decision to resign, which he had submitted and withdrawn before, was final. Dervis later came to the CHP group and let the deputies know about it. Baykal did not attend the group’s meeting, which was closed to the press. While the CHP Group meeting was in session, Dervis was accompanied by Istanbul Deputy, Zeynep Damla Gurel. Arguing that there was prejudice and a lack of love in the CHP, Gurel announced that she also resigned from the MYK.