AKP gears up for eighth regular congress

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is set to convene for its eighth regular congress on Feb. 23, with a keen focus on potential leadership changes within the party.

Under the slogan “AK [white, clean] in its name, stability in its light,” President and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to address a host of important issues, including modifications to the party's central decision and executive board (MKYK) and deputy leaders.

The party has already gathered input from over 400,000 members, with these insights expected to play a crucial role in shaping Erdoğan's speech, according to Erkan Kandemir, his deputy responsible for party organization.

"It will be a congress befitting the AKP, where we will make people feel how we will carry Türkiye forward with every step and message in the hall," he said during a press conference at AKP headquarters

"The AKP movement will show at the congress what kind of Türkiye it envisions in the next century."

While the AKP has extended invitations to nine political parties, it has notably excluded the DEM Party from the event.

The process leading up to the congress began last September and included a series of preparatory events, including the youth and women's branch meetings.

The AKP held an extraordinary congress held in October 2023, during which Erdoğan was reelected as the party's leader.

It also saw a significant reshuffle in the party's MKYK, with 49 members losing their positions and 26 incumbents retaining theirs.