Turkey's ruling AKP revamps leadership, includes former opposition members

Ceren Bayar / Gazete Duvar

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Feb. 23 elected a new Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK) in its eighth regular congress in the capital Ankara province.

The 75-member board included 39 new names, while 36 were left off the list, marking a 52 percent change in the party’s highest decision-making body.

The new leadership, set to prepare the party for the 2028 elections, included seven lawmakers who resigned from the nationalist opposition İYİ (Good) Party and the Future (Gelecek) Party to join the AKP. 

Only 12 women were appointed to the 75-member body.

These members were Nebi Hatipoğlu, Seyithan İzsiz, Kürşat Zorlu, Dursun Ataş, and Ünal Karaman from the İYİ Party, along with Nedim Yamalı and Serap Yazıcı Özbudun from the Future Party.

Eighteen members of the Central Executive Board (MYK), considered the AKP's top team, were also included in the MKYK list. 

The list also featured children of veteran AKP politicians. Mücahit Arınç, son of former Parliament Speaker and Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, and Osman Gökçek, son of former Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek, were among those included.

Derya Ayaydın, daughter of former main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Aydın Ayaydın, who was the AKP's Muğla mayoral candidate in local elections, also secured a place in the MKYK.

Additionally, Mehmet Umut Tuncer, son of singer Mahmut Tuncer, and Türk İslam Karakoç, son of poet Abdurrahim Karakoç, were named to the party’s executive body.

The new leadership also featured figures from the sports world. Former footballer Mesut Özil, who retired from Başakşehir in 2023, and former coach Ünal Karaman, who most recently managed Çaykur Rizespor and Göztepe, were included in the MKYK.

Following the congress, the new MKYK convened under President Erdoğan to appoint the party’s Central Executive Board (MYK). In line with a bylaw change, Erdoğan assigned leaders to the newly established Turkish World Relations, Culture and Arts, and Health Policies departments. Twelve members retained their positions.

During his speech at the congress, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said AKP's success story was one of "sincerity and integrity."

"We did not achieve this success by raising glasses at dinner tables, stacking bundles of unaccounted money, or emerging from political deals,” the President stated.

“We steered clear of arrogant politics. Instead of covering up our shortcomings, we addressed them with better solutions,” Erdoğan said.

Addressing the opposition, he continued, “Those who oppose the AKP have always expected us to crumble, to surrender to elites, and to submit to financial powers. They have been waiting for this since August 14, 2001, and they will wait much longer.”

Erdoğan also addressed the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) whose leadership faced legal investigation for criticizing the government. He warned, “We tell the chaos barons that this state and nation have the will, power, and capability to turn your dreams into nightmares. As long as you contribute to this country and provide employment, we will stand by you. But if you insist on your old bad habits, we will act accordingly. Turkey has changed, and you must adapt to this new reality.”

Following the May 14 elections, several lawmakers switched to the AKP. Nebi Hatipoğlu, Kürşat Zorlu, Seyithan İzsiz, Dursun Ataş, Ahmet Ersagun Yücel, Ünal Karaman, and Mehmet Salim Ensarioğlu left the İYİ Party; Nedim Yamalı and Serap Yazıcı Özbudun left the Future Party; and Suat Pamukçu moved from the New Welfare Party to the AKP.

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