Melih Gökçek, the mayor of Turkey's capital Ankara, has announced his resignation on Saturday after serving for 23 years, amid the rejuvenation bid in the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) prior to 2019 elections, Daily Sabah reports.
Gökçek convened the municipal council Saturday to announce his resignation. While members from the AK Party attended to the meeting, members from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) declined to attend.
Recalling his 23 years of service in Ankara and counting some of the improvements in the city, Gökçek said that he decided to take this step after a call for his resignation from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
