The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has opened its fourth congress at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall, with party leader and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğanand his wife, Emine Erdoğan, receiving a rapturous welcome by thousands of AKP supporters.
Ahead of his entrance from the hall, Erdoğan addressed thousands of AKP supporters who were waiting outside the hall.
The theme of the congress is “Great nation, great power, vision for 2023,” in reference to the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
During today’s congress, party delegates will re-elect Erdoğan as chairman for the last time, as the prime minister has announced that the AKP will not change internal bylaws preventing party lawmakers from serving more than three terms. Erdoğan is expected to renew his A-team, while one-fourth of the party’s central executive and decision-making board is expected to change.
Erdoğan previously signaled that he would deliver a message of unity embracing people from all segments of society when he reads out the AKP’s highly anticipated “manifesto.”
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi; Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) leader Masoud Barzani; Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas; former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder; Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev; former Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani are all attending today’s congress.
Dissident media outlets prevented from attending
Meanwhile, the AKP has barred some dissident newspapers and TV channels from following its congress, as dailies Cumhuriyet, Sözcü, Aydınlık, Evrensel, BirGün, Yeniçağ, Özgür Gündem and television channel İMC were all refused accreditation for the convention.
(Hürriyet Daily News)
