AK Party to launch preparations for 2023

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will launch preparations for the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections as the redo election in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has been completed.

The party is expected to rejuvenate the administration following a detailed analysis of the March 31 local polls' outcome. Efforts to reorganize local organizations, the party organization and local election teams have already started. These units will update their methods accordingly for the 2023 elections.

Earlier this week, the party convened in Ankara under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss the results of the June 23 Istanbul mayoral elections. In the party's Central Executive Committee (MYK) meeting, the party made the first evaluations and detailed analysis of the rerun mayoral elections 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 Sunday, People's Alliance candidate Binali Yıldırım received 45% of the votes, while his rival, Nation Alliance candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, received 54%. 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 used the term "metal fatigue" before pointing to the need to revive the party by eliminating some members 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.