On 30 May 2017, shortly after a controversial declaration of victory in the 2017 constitutional referendum and election as AK Party leader, President Erdoğan made a statement claiming that his party was suffering from 'metal fatigue' and called on poorly-performing party provincial executives to leave their posts. Seven AKP provincial chairmen resigned their posts by the end of 2017 in response to Erdoğan's call. The intention of the AKP party executive to 'regenerate' the party resulted in pressure on some of the party's more controversial, long-serving or poorly-performing mayors to resign.