Oktay Saral, a chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, says he has left his post at the president’s direction after a dispute over his criticism of Azerbaijan.
Turkish journalist Talat Atilla said on Oct. 25 that Saral confirmed the decision during a telephone conversation. Asked whether his departure was connected to his statements about Azerbaijan, Saral replied that it appeared to be, according to the account published by Vesti Baku.
“The president appointed me, and I left at his direction. I am not offended by anyone,” Atilla quoted Saral as saying.
Trend, APA and other regional outlets also reported that Saral confirmed his dismissal. Saral told Middle East Eye that he had “absolute respect” for Erdoğan’s decision.
The departure followed a public dispute over school dress rules in Azerbaijan. Saral had criticized restrictions affecting students wearing headscarves and called for a change in policy, prompting a sharp response in Baku. Reports in Turkish and international media said Azerbaijan had pressed Ankara to remove him, though neither government publicly detailed any formal demand.
Controversial Political Record
Saral, born in 1967, is a civil engineer by training. He served as mayor of Of from 1999 to 2011 before entering parliament as an Istanbul lawmaker. He began his political career in the Virtue Party and later joined Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party. He became a chief presidential adviser in 2016.
His political career has included several controversies. During a 2015 parliamentary fight over domestic security legislation, Saral acknowledged wielding a gavel and confronting opposition lawmakers. Turkish media have also documented insulting remarks directed at opposition figures, musicians and actors.
In 2019, Republican People’s Party lawmaker Mahir Polat accused Saral of using his office to seek help with a 70,000-lira debt linked to a Quran course and to secure employment for another person. Saral’s departure comes as Ankara and Baku seek to contain a broader dispute over public criticism of Azerbaijan by Turkish political figures.