Turkish Daily News
ErdoÄ?an plans a ‘new move’ within the AKP
Sunday, September 27, 2009
GÃ-KSEL BOZKURT
ANKARA Daily News Parliament Bureau
In its upcoming general congress, the ruling AKP plans to make radical
changes to its decision-making cadre. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an is expected to give a boost to Deputy Prime Minister
and his close workmate Bülent Arınç, former
Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan, former education minister
Hüseyin �elik and Education Minister Nimet
�ubukçu
The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, will hold its third
general congress on Oct. 3 in Ankara. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an plans to go to the general elections in 2011 with a new
makeup after shaping the party’s new organizational structure in the
congress.
ErdoÄ?an, only candidate
The AKP, established on Aug. 14, 2001, will hold its third general
congress in the sports hall of the Ankara Water and Sewerage
Administration, or ASKÄ°. ErdoÄ?an will attend the party
congress as the single candidate for the party
leadership. ErdoÄ?an is also expected to make important
structural change in his party’s 50-member Central Executive Board, or
MKYK. ErdoÄ?an will shape the party’s administrative structure,
which will carry the party to the 2011 general elections, in the
congress. Currently hosting 11 female members, ErdoÄ?an’s
efforts will also include furthering the role of women and youth in
the MKYK structure.
Sources say, ErdoÄ?an will maintain the seats for female members
in the MKYK, while intending to include some other names. Among these
names are Education Minister Nimet �ubukçu, State
Minister Selma Kavaf who works as Chairwoman of AKP’s Women Branch and
AKP Malatya deputy Ã-znur Ã?alık, according to
sources.
Past legends reappear in the scene
ErdoÄ?an is also expected to include Deputy Prime Minister and
his close workmate Bülent Arınç in the
MKYK. Former Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan, former Education
Minister Hüseyin �elik and former Labor and Social
Security Mi
urat BaÅ?esgioÄ?lu also remain among other potential
candidates for MKYK membership.
Ã?elik, whose name stood out as political adviser in the AKP’s
Kurdish move, is expected to be appointed as the deputy leader in
charged of the political and legal affairs of the party.
Emphasis on Kurdish move
The party’s Kurdish move will be another important agenda topic of the
congress. ErdoÄ?an is expected to review the party’s eight-year
ruling period and the developments so far. ErdoÄ?an will also
give important messages on the Kurdish and Armenian move, making a
last call to the opposition for their contribution to both
initiatives.
DTP continues with Türk
Another party summoning a congress is the pro-Kurdish Democratic
Society Party, or DTP. The DTP will gather for a general congress on
Oct. 4, in which the DTP leader Ahmet Türk is considered to be
re-elected as the party leader. A mini survey of the party showed
DTP’s Emine Ayna will assume the post of co-chair, together with
Türk. Some deputies in the party think her radical statements
on various issues could harm the AKP’s Kurdish move, but the general
sentiment in the party is still that a replacement of Ayna with
another name would be surprising.
MHP goes to congress
The opposition Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, will convene its
general congress on Oct. 8. No challenging rival is expected to appear
in the congress to compete with MHP’s current leader, Devlet
Bahçeli. The only candidate considered relatively strong and
likely to challenge Bahçeli, is former public works minister
Koray Aydın. But, Aydın is not expected to run his
candidacy in the congress, according to many MHP deputies.
Crucial period for parties outside Parliament
The upcoming period will also be important for political parties
outside the Parliament. The Democrat Party, or DP, which elected old
politician Hüsamettin Cindoruk as its new leader, also prepares
itself for the party congress. Cindoruk made his way to politics again
in a bid to unite the center right.
is expected that another center-right Motherland Party, or ANAP, will
also hold its congress and take a decision to unite with the DP. Both
parties plan to hold their congresses at the end of October or the
beginning of November.
Two new parties on the way
Former Democratic Left Party, or DSP, deputy Mustafa
Sarıgül, who left the party, meanwhile, is planning to
establish a new party called the `Turkey Change Party.’ He plans to
join the electoral race in 2011 general elections.
Those who left the DSP after the death of DSP’s founder, leader
Bülent Ecevit, and those disappointed with the current
leadership of Masum Türker, also plan to establish a new
party. Emrehan Halıcı and Recai Birgün are
expected to take part in the planned party, also supported by Ecevit’s
wife RahÅ?an.