Today marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Modern.az recalls that the Party was founded on August 14, 2001. On that day, 74 Turkish politicians submitted an official application for the establishment of the Justice and Development Party to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey.
Among the founders of the party was the current President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan was elected the first chairman of the party, and the AK Party became one of the main forces in Turkey's political life after the 2002 parliamentary elections.
The AK Party won enough mandates in the 2002 elections to form a government on its own, laying the foundation for a long period of rule. In subsequent years, the party achieved significant results in parliamentary, presidential, and local elections held in Turkey.
Erdoğan became the Prime Minister of Turkey in 2003. After being elected president in 2014, he continued his political ties with the AK Party. Erdoğan, who returned to the position of party chairman in 2017, continues his activities as head of state after the transition to the presidential system in Turkey in 2018.
For 25 years, the AK Party has played an important role in both Turkey's domestic and foreign policy. During the party's rule, various projects have been implemented in the fields of economy, infrastructure, defense industry, healthcare, and transport.
The party has also attracted attention by taking a more active stance in Turkey's regional and international politics.
Currently, the AK Party remains the main political force in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
