Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been criticized by the opposition over the number of advisors at the presidential palace, has demanded the resignation of 14 of them, the Odatv news website reported on Thursday.
Among the advisors are former Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Ayşe Nur Bahçekapılı; Professor İbrahim Saraçoğlu, known for his natural healing treatments; Fahri Kasırga, a former justice minister; and former journalist İlnur Çevik.
It was not clear on Thursday when media outlets published the news about the departure of Erdoğan’s advisors why the president made such a decision. However, columnist Hande Fırat wrote in the Hürriyet daily on Friday that Erdoğan’s decision to part ways with 14 of his advisors was based on his intention to employ younger people as well as his desire for change.
Fırat said most of the advisors are over the age of 65 and that each of the 14 was called to inform them of Erdoğan’s decision and that they were asked to hand in their resignations.
According to Fırat, the firing of presidential advisors is possible through a presidential decree, but it was not necessary because the advisors were asked to submit their resignations.
It is not known how many advisors Erdoğan has at his palace, but Erdoğan’s critics say he is wasting taxpayers’ money on their salaries, and many question the credentials of some of the advisors, saying they are not actually qualified to serve a president as an advisor.