Within the framework of the first session of the new term of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT), a photo taken has shaken the country's political agenda.
In the photo taken on October 1, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's cordial conversation with opposition leaders, especially his appearance in the same frame with representatives of the DEM, İYİ, DEVA, Future, and Re-Welfare parties, attracted particular attention. The circulated photo is interpreted as the beginning of a 'new political phase' in Ankara.
Modern.az, Erdoğan, in his speech that day, did not traditionally voice harsh accusations against the opposition, but instead made calls for a 'Turkey without terrorists' project and 'national unity'. The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) boycotted the first session of the new term.
A particularly noteworthy point in the photos is Erdoğan's cordial conversation around the same table with Ahmet Davutoğlu and Ali Babacan, who were once considered the main brain trust of the AK Party but later left to form their own parties. Although both politicians have sharply criticized the government in recent years, their invitation to this event and their cordial appearance with the president are evaluated as the 'thawing of political ice'.
Some experts note that Erdoğan wants to pursue constitutional amendments, for which 360 votes are needed in parliament. It is known that the CHP will not support this process, which is why Erdoğan is trying to create a new consensus through his former allies and some opposition forces.
Observers say that Davutoğlu and Babacan might approach the ruling camp again amidst their parties' weak election results. “Their formal return to the AK Party is not important; what matters is their support for the constitutional amendments.
AK Party representatives believe that Erdoğan is trying to strengthen internal solidarity by sending a message of national unity. According to some sources, the president's goal is not only to establish dialogue with the opposition but also to form a broad political support base for constitutional reforms and possible early elections.
Political analysts state that the October 1 photo is a signal of a 'new era' not only for domestic politics but also for an international audience. This is because Erdoğan has for many years called the Constitution adopted after the 1980 military coup an 'anti-democratic legacy' and emphasizes the importance of its amendment. The opposition, however, evaluates these initiatives as an 'attempt to extend power'. Nevertheless, the photos taken on October 1 show that Erdoğan has already managed to gather his former allies and political rivals around the same table.
In Ankara's political corridors, the question 'Are Babacan and Davutoğlu returning to the AK Party?' is being raised increasingly. It is even reported that several former deputies of the Future Party will join the AK Party in the coming days. The Future Party announced that 'such appearances should be evaluated within the framework of the normalization process', while the DEVA Party stated that 'their positions would not change just because a cup of tea was drunk'.
Although there is no official confirmation, observers evaluate this rapprochement as 'a convergence of interests rather than a return'.
