AKP replaces some provincial heads after executive meeting

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has replaced the heads of its provincial organizations in seven cities a day after a five-hour meeting of its executive committee.

The party on June 25 announced the appointment of new provincial heads for Adıyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Erzincan, Gaziantep, Kastamonu, Osmaniye and Zonguldak.

This expected move came in the wake of official remarks and reports signaling organizational changes after the party's setback in the March 31 local elections.

The AKP experienced a decline in votes from 44.33 percent in 2019 to 35.48 percent in the local polls, placing second behind the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

Chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Central Executive Committee (MYK) held talks on the election results and another topic on the agenda.

Speaking to the press late on June 24, AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik said that a comprehensive gathering with mayors is scheduled for early July to assess the election results and to formulate new strategies concerning local governance.

"Our President and Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will convene with our mayors at the beginning of July. The entire AKP organization will attend it."

"During this camp, we will discuss local politics and evaluate what actions are requisite to deliver the highest quality services to our citizens," Çelik added.

Last month, the AKP had also organized a "consultation camp" with its deputies to evaluate the election outcomes.

Commenting on the meeting between Finance and Treasury Minister Mehmet Şimşek and the CHP delegation, Çelik noted that the government's economic program is beginning to yield the anticipated positive results.

Şimşek received a delegation led by CHP’s deputy leader for economic affairs Yalçın Karatepe on June 24, marking a move in the ongoing "softening" and "normalization" period in Turkish politics.

In a news conference following the meeting at the ministry headquarters, Karatepe said the delegation conveyed several proposals to Şimşek, including an adjustment to the minimum wage and an increase in pensions.

"We conveyed our demands and views under four main headings," Karatepe said. These include a mid-year increase in the minimum wage, a significant boost to pension payments, updates to agricultural subsidies and the pricing of agricultural products and addressing inequities in the tax system.

Speaking on the private television channel CNN Türk on June 25, AKP Deputy Chairman Hamza Dağ mentioned that there will be no interim raise in the minimum wage in July.