▁to ▁criticism ▁that ▁the ▁party ▁was ▁disc rimin ating ▁against ▁the ▁Ale vi ▁minor ity ▁in ▁Turkey ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁Sun ni ▁Islam ▁political ▁origin . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁general ▁election , ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁was ▁elected ▁for ▁a ▁third ▁consecutive ▁time ▁from ▁ İ z mir ' s ▁second ▁elect oral ▁district . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁A K P ' s ▁three - term ▁limit ▁on ▁its ▁MP s , ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁for ▁a ▁fourth ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁general ▁election . ▁However , ▁he ▁re - enter ed ▁Parliament ▁from ▁ İ z mir ' s ▁first ▁elect oral ▁district ▁during ▁the ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁snap ▁general ▁election ▁seven ▁months ▁later . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁speaker ▁of ▁the ▁Turkish ▁Parliament ▁B inal i ▁Y ild ir im ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁res ign ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁run ▁for ▁mayor ▁of ▁Ist an bul ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁elections ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁in ▁Turkey ▁on ▁March ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁Minister ▁of ▁Transport , ▁Mar itime , ▁and ▁Communic ation ▁ ▁B inal i ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁has ▁been ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁A K P ' s ▁' unch anging ▁Transport ▁Minister ' ▁due ▁to ▁his