With other political parties of Türkiye already unveiling their election manifestos, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is also in the process of preparing its outline. The party, which differed from others by pursuing a low-key campaign with respect to the pain of victims of the Feb. 6 earthquakes, is expected to announce its manifesto on April 11. Their manifesto will primarily concentrate on earthquakes and other disasters and steps to be taken to prevent a repeat of the massive damage seen in the Feb. 6 disaster in Türkiye’s south.
The winner of successive elections in two decades, the AK Party boasts of fulfilling its pledges in previous elections. This manifesto’s theme will be the centenary of the Republic of Türkiye, which will be marked on Oct. 29, 2023. The party, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, follows in the footsteps of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the republic, in reviving the country that lagged in modernization and self-dependence.
The AK Party will also change its traditional election slogan “Durmak Yok, Yola Devam” (which roughly translates as “Keep Walking without Stopping”) to “Doğru Adımlarla Yola Devam” (which can be translated as “Keep Walking with the Right Steps”). The manifesto will have its final draft ready in an executive committee meeting of the AK Party scheduled for Monday.
The manifesto will have 23 titles and will highlight the “Century of Türkiye,” a set of ambitious projects and steps Erdoğan announced in October 2022, ahead of the anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye. It will focus on “development” in the name of the party and will highlight investments to that extent, along with democratic and social steps.
Unlike other parties that tasted defeat in all elections against the AK Party, the party has an opportunity to promote services and actions its governments accomplished and these will be prominently displayed in the manifesto. The manifesto, prepared under the motto “Right now for Türkiye” will list AK Party governments’ successes in every field, from education and foreign policy to industrial development, technology development, defense industry, energy, agriculture, social and cultural life, health, youth and sports.
Another section of the manifesto carries the motto “We will walk into the future together” and will contain planned steps to heal the wounds that the earthquakes that claimed thousands of lives left behind. The rebuilding of provinces affected by the disaster and the formation of cities resistant to such disasters through “urban transformation” will be in the manifesto. “Urban transformation” is a concept introduced by the AK Party governments that involves the demolition of old buildings with reduced ability to endure disasters and their replacement with sturdy ones. The manifesto also devoted sections to the economy, environment, family, justice and freedoms as well as separate categories for pledges for the welfare of youth and women.
The May 14 elections are the first since Türkiye switched to an executive presidency system and will be critical for the AK Party whose leader faces a diverse array of opposition parties that joined forces to unseat him. Yet, Erdoğan sticks to his muted campaign, mostly visiting earthquake-hit provinces on his campaign trail and choosing brief speeches in rallies without campaign songs blaring from loudspeakers.
The party will announce its candidates for parliamentary deputies on April 11 as well as other events involving campaigning. It is expected to be a modest occasion for the party, without the pompous spectacles of past election campaigns.
