No change on next year’s election timing: Ruling party

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has reiterated that the elections will be held on time, next year in June, despite calls from the opposition as the party senior officials, including President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan convened for the first time to discuss the election strategy.

“There is no change on the election timing. The elections will be held on time,” AKP spokesman told the reporters after the meeting under the leadership of President Erdoğan late on Aug. 23.

Erdoğan called the party’s senior officials as well as his aides to the presidency for a meeting devoted to the strategies to be pursued for next year’s election. It is the first meeting held by the ruling party for the June 2023 presidential and parliamentary polls.

This meeting should not be interpreted as a signal of early polls, Çelik said “It is very normal to get prepared for the elections which will be held in less than a year.”

The participants reviewed the works of the party up to now and assessed the future activities in the run-up to the elections, the spokesman stressed, “Plus, there will be legislative works. A consultation was made about the reforms to be legislated.”

The party’s strategies to reach out to more people, the communication strategies have also been evaluated, Çelik informed. “We have assessed the 2023 election manifesto and the contributions the AK Party will make to the manifesto of the People’s Alliance,” he said, adding they will continue to hold such meetings regularly in the run-up to elections.

The AKP has been allied with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) under what they call the People’s Alliance. President Erdoğan will be the joint candidate of the alliance.