The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has substantially completed an extensive report on the party's election performance in the March 31 local polls.
The report includes evaluations and self-criticism on every rank of the party's hierarchy, which took responsibility in the local polls. Views of voters, including responses to the question of why they did not cast their vote for the AK Party, are also included. The voters also expressed their expectations in the report. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to make a reshuffle in the Cabinet accordingly to the outcome of the detailed evaluations. Last month, the party also convened in Ankara under the leadership of Erdoğan to discuss the results of the June 23 Istanbul mayoral election. In the party's Central Executive Committee (MYK) meeting, the party made the first evaluations and detailed analysis on the rerun mayoral election in Istanbul.
AK Party Deputy Chairmen Ali İhsan Yavuz and Mahir Ünal made presentations that analyzed the election process and results. In the rerun mayoral election in Istanbul on June 23, People's Alliance candidate Binali Yıldırım received 45 percent of the votes, while his rival, Nation Alliance candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, received 54 percent. The People's Alliance between the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the AK Party was formed ahead of the June 24 parliamentary and presidential elections.
The AK Party has a tradition of rejuvenating the party with a more dynamic team that consists of experienced elders and younger members when necessary. Erdoğan had used the term "metal fatigue" before pointing to the need for reviving the party by eliminating some members in the party who could have lost their energy to perform what is required. As part of the rejuvenation efforts, a number of party members and mayors of key provinces resigned.
Eda Işık / Daily Sabah
