Güldal Akşit, former tourism minister and one of the founding members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), died due to the coronavirus on Friday.

Akşit, 61, was receiving treatment in Ibni Sina Hospital in Ankara.

Akşit was the AK Party’s Istanbul deputy in the 22nd and 23rd terms and served as the minister of tourism between 2002 and 2003, and as the minister of state between 2003 and 2005.

She also served as deputy chairperson of the Constitutional Commission of Parliament.

In the AK Party, Akşit served as the deputy head of political and legal affairs between 2006 and 2011, and head of the women's branch between 2011 to 2014.