Nimet Özdemir, a lawmaker who resigned from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), formally joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Wednesday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Özdemir at the parliamentary group meeting of the party.

Özdemir, a business executive, had left former CHP ally Good Party (IP) for the main opposition in 2024. She has been a member of Parliament’s Türkiye-EU committee and the environment committee.

Two weeks ago, another former IP lawmaker, Ersin Beyaz, joined the AK Party, soon after his resignation from the opposition party.

The AK Party has seen a stream of new transfers in the past two years.

Since the 2024 elections, 15 mayors have left their parties and joined the AK Party. Most of them were formerly members of the CHP.