Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
The Justice and Development Party has managed to be the first party in all the general elections it has participated in since its establishment on 14 August 2001 and has achieved the title of the political party that has remained in power for the longest time in multi-party. politics since 1946. The AK Party has gained an important place in Turkish politics with structural reforms and major projects.
The founder of the party, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the former Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, founded the AK Party, the 39th party of Turkey, under the name of “Virtuous Movement”. During the establishment of the party, Erdoğan heralded the beginning of a new political era with the words “From today on, nothing will be the same in our Turkey.”
Following its establishment, the AK Party entered the general elections on November 3, 2002, deprived of its politically banned leader Erdoğan, with the slogan “Alone, in power”. In these elections, it became the first party with 34.28% of the votes and the 58th Government of the Republic of Turkey was established under the presidency of Abdullah Gül.
Political Journey
After his political ban was lifted with the amendment to Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Erdoğan entered the Turkish Grand National Assembly as a member of parliament in the renewal elections held in Siirt on March 8, 2003. Following the resignation of the 58th Government headed by Gül, the 10th President Ahmet Necdet Sezer gave Erdoğan the task of forming a government. Erdoğan established the 59th Government of the Republic of Turkey on March 15, 2003 and took the prime minister’s seat.
New Elections, New Successes
After Erdoğan formed the government, the AK Party faced its first test in the 2004 local elections. The party won 1,950 municipalities with a 41.7% vote rate, thus solidifying its place in the political arena. It maintained its single-party rule by reaching 46.58% of the vote in the 2007 general elections. It achieved similar success in the 2009 local elections.
Closure Case Against the Ruling Party
In 2008, the indictment prepared by former Supreme Court Chief Public Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalçınkaya demanded the closure of the AK Party and the imposition of a political ban on party officials. On July 30, 2008, the Constitutional Court rejected the request to close the party due to the lack of a qualified majority in the closure case.
The 2010 Referendum and After
The AKP received 57.88% of the “yes” votes in the referendum held on September 12, 2010, thus making significant changes to the 1982 Constitution. The AKP received 49.53% of the votes in the 2011 general elections, and won 818 mayoralties in the 2014 local elections, receiving 45.60% of the votes.
The 12th President is also from the AK Party
Following the end of Abdullah Gül’s term, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became the 12th President of Turkey in the presidential elections held on August 10, 2014, with 52% of the votes. Ahmet Davutoğlu, who became the leader of the party during this period, successfully led the party in the general elections of June 7, 2015 and the early elections of November 1, 2015.
July 15 Coup Attempt and Aftermath
The coup attempt of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) on July 15, 2016 was prevented with the great support of the people upon the call of President Erdoğan. This process paved the way for the establishment of the People’s Alliance between the AK Party and the MHP.
The New Constitution and the Presidential System of Government
The AK Party transitioned to the Presidential Government System with the referendum held on April 16, 2017. In this vote, 51.41% of the votes were “yes”. President Erdoğan, who left the 2014 Presidential election, was re-elected as the AK Party Chairman on May 21, 2017.
June 24, 2018 Elections
Erdoğan, the candidate of the People’s Alliance, was elected President with 52.38% of the votes in the elections held on June 24, 2018. The AK Party also managed to become the first party in the Turkish Grand National Assembly with 42.28% of the votes .
2023 Election Process
The Presidential and 28th Term Parliamentary General Elections were held on May 14, 2023. Erdoğan, the candidate of the People’s Alliance, failed to be elected President in the first round with 49.52% of the votes, but became President in the second round on May 28 with 52.18% of the votes. With this election, the AK Party retained its title as the party that has remained in power for the longest time in multi-party political life.
AK Party’s 4th Extraordinary Grand Congress
The AK Party held its 4th Extraordinary Congress on October 7, 2023. President Erdoğan was re-elected as the Chairman of the AK Party by receiving all 1,399 valid votes. At the congress, 49 new names were included in the new Central Decision and Executive Board.
2024 Local Elections
The AK Party won 24 provinces and 357 district municipalities by receiving 35.49% of the votes in the March 31, 2024 Local Elections. President Erdoğan made a statement following the election results and said, “We will definitely take the necessary steps by weighing the messages given by the nation at the ballot box in the most accurate and objective way on our scales of reason and conscience.”
