AKP camp to launch under helm of Erdoğan

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) three-day “consultation and assessment camp” that will take place in the western province Afyonkarahisar is set to begin as the president and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will preside after three years apart from the ruling party.

The ruling AKP’s 26th semi-annual consultation and assessment camp are to start at Afyonkarahisar on Oct. 6 as Erdoğan is scheduled to give the opening and closing speech for the first time after reinstating his party leadership post following the constitutional amendment that allowed the president to have political ties.

For the camp, intensive security measures were taken around Afyonkarahisar, as the entrance and exit points of the city were under control points of the police and gendarmerie forces. The camping area is also closed by the police barriers and police forces of the city were reinforced by police of neighboring cities.

Unlike previous camps, the founding members and former lawmakers were also invited to the camp. Former Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç and former Education Minister Hüseyin Çelik will attend the meeting. However, former President Abdullah Gül will not be present.

The AKP’s Central Executive and Decision Board, Cabinet of Ministers, Central Disciplinary Board, lawmakers, women and youth branches are also invited to the camp.

Erdoğan will address the AKP members on Oct. 7 at the opening ceremony and the Prime Minister and ministers are scheduled to give presentations. During the camp, Erdoğan will have meetings with lawmakers and will make assessments on local administrations and mayoralties.

On the last day of the camp on Oct. 8, Prime Minister Yıldırım will give a speech in a meeting that will be closed to the press.

‘Metal fatigue’ to be on table

As Erdoğan has long been criticizing the AKP organization of suffering from “metal fatigue,” the main topic of the consultation camp is expected to be the “renovation” efforts within the party, services in mayoralties and the six-month action plan of the ministers.

AKP is in the process of an “organizational restructuring” in a bid to prepare for three planned elections in 2019, when the system change stipulated by the constitutional amendment will fully be in effect.

While “metal fatigue” and “organizational restructuring” will be the main topic amid resignations from local administrations of the AKP, the future plans of the ruling party for the upcoming election period will also be on the agenda at the camp.

Erdoğan had also instructed the ministers to prepare a six-month action plan in this line, and the ministers are expected to discuss their plans in the camp.

Apart from the AKP’s future plans, the recent developments in Syria and Iraq, the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) independence bid, anti-terror activities and economic developments will also be discussed.