Turkish President, Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed his party's Provincial Chairmen's Meeting.
Modern.az reports that President Erdoğan spoke about the organizational strength of the AKP, new members joining the party, and populist approaches in politics.
Erdoğan stated that with over 11 million 500 thousand members, the AKP is one of the largest political movements not only in Turkey but in the world.
“In our imagination, membership is not just a registration procedure. Being a member of the AKP means joining the struggle to serve the people, being ready for all kinds of sacrifices on this path. We are not just a political party, but also a cause movement. We are a voluntary movement that believes in the same ideals and moves towards the same future,” he emphasized.
The President noted that interest in the party is increasing at all levels, and people who want to serve their country and city prefer to join the ranks of the AKP.
“On Monday, we added a district mayor to our ranks, and yesterday, a member of parliament. Today, we will welcome new mayors into our family. We will continue to see those who want to do useful work for their country and nation in the ranks of our party,” Erdoğan said.
The Turkish leader also spoke about the impact of social media on politics in his speech. According to him, in recent years, a trend called “interaction hunting” has become widespread in society, state institutions, and local administrations.
“Under the influence of social media, the desire to be seen, to be on the agenda, and to be discussed often takes precedence over all values. Unfortunately, some politicians also fall into this trap. I must regretfully note that there are those in our own ranks who have succumbed to this wrong current,” he noted.
Erdoğan called on party members to act more responsibly.
“An approach that breaks the hearts of citizens, treats small business owners rudely, and chases after show rather than implementation, might be the political style of the opposition. However, it is impossible for us to accept this,” the Turkish President emphasized.
