Will the Gulen Movmement found a political party?

Fehmi Koru
Fehmi Koru


Date posted: May 29, 2013

Turkey’s prominent journalist Fehmi Koru answered Ece Uner’s questions on Haberturk TV. He also made comments about the AK Party-Gulen Movement conflict and the probability that the Gulen Movement may engage in active party politics.

Koru said, “What you call as the movement is a civil society organization. They let politicians do the daily politics. They have political opinions and they try to influence politics. But they do this by having relations with politicians as they did in the past. It is against the nature of the movement to impose any opinion on the government. If there is sharp irreconcilable disagreement between the movement and the AK Party, they may found a political party. But if they do so, they will lose the advantage of being a [civil society] movement. They will face more criticism when they found a political party.

I do not think we will see such development.”

Source: Summarized from Vatan Daily, May 15, 2013


Related News

Filling the gap left by Gulen

Erdogan and Gulen shared the goal of creating a “devout generation”. Yet despite their similar outlook on life and objectives, the Gulen movement never merged completely with the AKP. However, Gulen was never willing to subordinate himself to Erdogan, which is why the two men fell out in 2013 and the informal coalition with the Gulen movement collapsed.

Istanbul police display hundreds of books among evidence of ‘terror’

Police seized Gülen’s 1,500 books; 24 CDs featuring Gülen’s speeches; TL 435,200 ($148,000) along with $99,200 and 700 euros; several laptops; two guns and some digital data, during operations targeting the alleged terrorist network of the movement.

HIzmet centre takes on Erdogan regime

The London-based Centre for Hizmet Studies has accused Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his regime of systematically trying to provoke the followers of the Hizmet Movement into violence and portray the movement as a violent organisation.

Former Dutch FM: I don’t understand Erdoğan’s Hizmet hatred

The Netherlands’ former foreign minister Bernard Bot has said that he cannot understand Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s hatred against the Hizmet movement, a social movement known for its cultural and educational activities.

Exiled cleric Gulen explains why he thinks Erdogan has branded him a terrorist

Gulen claimed that [Erdogan turn against Hizmet and accuse it of plotting the failed coup] because he had refused Erdogan’s appeal to use the domestic and international Hizmet network as a propaganda tool to present himself as leader of Islam, at home and abroad. “But Hizmet rejected him and so Erdogan was angry,” Gulen said.

Turkey Concedes: No Evidence Linking Gulen to Coup Sent to Washington

Turkey is conceding it has not sent any evidence to Washington linking Fethullah Gulen to the failed July 15 coup attempt, despite increasingly angry calls by Ankara for the United States to extradite the Pennsylvania-based cleric or suffer a severe downgrade in diplomatic relations.

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

SEO Skill Suite: Tools for Keyword Research, Technical & Backlink Analysis

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

In Case You Missed It

(Not a joke) Turkish governor: ISIL terrorist detonated himself in construction site not to harm neighbors

Romania denies extradition request for Turkish teacher over Gülen links

Did Erdogan stage the coup?

Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs holds talks with TUSKON delegation

Turkish, Arab intellectuals meet around Hira in Cairo

Erdogan’s war on education: The exodus of Turkey’s teachers

Editorial: Expulsion of Turk Teachers from Pakistan

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News