Turkey's spy chief will not stand for June elections

Turkey's powerful former intelligence chief announced Monday he was dropping a bid to run for parliament in the wake of criticism from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over his decision to resign and seek elected office.

"As of today, I deem it necessary to withdraw my application to run...in the general elections," Hakan Fidan said in a statement carried by the state-run Anatolia news agency.

He will now resume his post at the intelligence organisation, local media reported.

In February, Fidan resigned from the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) to stand as a lawmaker in June elections from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The move was quickly slammed by the opposition but more surprisingly Erdogan has also repeatedly said he was not happy with Fidan's decision to stand for parliament in the 7 June legislative polls.

"I do not view Hakan Fidan's candidacy positively," the president said last month in comments which stunned Turkish media who had assumed Fidan's departure had been approved by the Turkish strongman ahead of the elections.

Widely seen as one of Turkey's most powerful figures, Fidan served as head of the Turkish secret service since 2010 and has always been regarded as one of Erdogan's closest allies, possibly even being touted as a protégée and possible political heir. 

“The announcement, made without warning during Monday evening, will be seen as a significant and unexpected show of strength for the president whose apparent differences with his prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, are now being openly discussed in the media,” said David Barchard, a Turkey-based journalist and Middle East Eye columnist.

“Indications are also that former President Abdullah Gul will not let his name go forward as a candidate in the elections. Journalists have been noting that he 'was saddened' by the fact that the AKP elected its new leader last August the day before his term ended, thus ensuring that he took no part in the vote – something which could indicate a possible rift between himself and the president.”