Istanbul Member of Parliament Nimet Özdemir has resigned from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and joined the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey’s ruling party. The defection was formalized during a meeting of the AKP parliamentary group in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Özdemir stated that his core mission remains unchanged despite the party switch, indicating a continuation of his political goals. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally presented Özdemir with an AKP party badge, signifying his official acceptance into the party. The move represents a shift in parliamentary alignment and potentially alters the balance of power within the assembly. Details regarding Özdemir’s reasons for leaving the CHP were not extensively reported in the initial announcement. This defection follows a pattern of political realignments observed in Turkish politics.