According to insiders and analysts, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party is struggling to restore its economic credibility as former economy tsar Mehmet Simsek declines to re-enter politics, just two months before the pivotal May 14th elections.

Reportedly, Erdogan himself had urged Simsek to return to the government and take a top position, as the AK Party seeks to promote more free-market policies, in contrast to years of nonconformity under Erdogan’s rule that hurt the lira currency and drove inflation up.

However, after a meeting at AKP headquarters on Monday, Simsek, who is well-respected by international investors, announced on Twitter that he is not interested in active politics, despite his willingness to provide support in his field.

In a separate televised interview on Wednesday, Erdogan downplayed the importance of the meeting, stating that such meetings are routine, and Simsek had offered his help for the upcoming elections.

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