AKP's new election song praises Davutoğlu as 'grandson of Ottomans'

KONYA

The new election campaign song of Turkey's ruling party praises Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to the skies, saluting him a "wise, brave man" who is also a "true grandson of the Ottomans."

The song for the general elections scheduled for June 2015 was unveiled at the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) annual congress in the Konya province on Dec. 27 before speech of Davutoğlu, who repeatedly stressed the bonds of former Ottoman territories and cities in the region to modern Turkey.

The lyrics of the song, originally a folk tune, were adapted by Uğur Işılak and Arter, an advertising agency.

The original song, "Kiziroğlu Mustafa Bey," was a praise for a bandit who participated in a rebellion against the Ottomans in the 16th century.

Erhan Güleryüz, a member of Ayna, sang the adapted song in front of Davutoğlu and other participants of the congress.

"Who is the man? Who is the brave, the righteous and the honest one? Who? Who? Davutoğlu Ahmet Hoca, a wise man, a brave man," the lyrics say, stressing Turkish PM's background as a university professor.





"The whole world knows him / He has no problem with history. / He is a true grandson of the Ottomans," the song goes on.

"He linked arms with reis," the lyrics also say, apparently referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who is referred by some party members as "reis," or the leader.

Güleryüz played an encore after the crowd cheer for it at the end of the song.