The ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey is celebrating 25 years since its establishment - under the sign of Erdogan. What does it stand for today?
The Justice and Development Party of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not at all shy about bragging about itself, notes ARD. At the end of June, it released a video with its achievements - naturally with the "legend" Erdogan in the center and with his heroics in the last 25 years highlighted, the German public media reports.
There is no reason for modesty
The Justice and Development Party (AKP), whose symbol is the light bulb, also acquired a logo for the anniversary - the numbers 25, presented as a mosaic of images of fighter jets, newly built housing complexes, hospitals, mosques, the Turkish car TOGG, etc. There is no reason for modesty, Erdogan said at the end of March. "Regardless of whether our citizens vote for our party or not, they thank God that in these turbulent times we are at the helm of Turkey and say: "Let us thank God that Turkey is governed by the AKP".
And it has been in power for 24 years. A year after its founding in 2002, it won an absolute majority in parliament, ARD recalls. After the election victory at that time, Erdogan spoke of a free Turkey for free citizens. "We respect the way of life of all our citizens and will build the future under the motto: "Let the people live so that the state can live".
The protests over "Gezi" Park showed the rift between the people and the party
Erdogan became prime minister in 2003 and led the country towards the EU, while achieving economic growth, the German public media notes. The AKP began to win election after election, in 2011 by 50 percent. But in 2013, with the protests against the construction of "Gezi" Park, a rift came to light: for many, the AKP was already too Islamic-conservative, and the country too religious. The classic family has taken center stage in politics.
Minorities such as homosexual women and men have been publicly denounced by the president. According to political scientist Ufuk Uras from Istanbul University, all this is not in line with Erdogan's previous statements. "It is about the essential question of whether different human beings and freedoms have a place in the public sphere."
Erdogan expands his power
But the AKP is not only changing society - the country is becoming increasingly authoritarian. A law on disinformation has been approved, which some describe as arbitrarily applicable to critics, as a restriction on freedom of opinion. According to Ufuk Uras, the successes of the first ten years of government are thus fading, ARD quotes him as saying. "Sometimes the AKP has worked for the good of Turkey, but sometimes it has harmed it." Certain government measures have become a nightmare for many - for example, the arrests of journalists and artists. "In my opinion, there is no acceptable justification for this."
With the introduction of the presidential system in 2017, Erdogan's power has continued to grow, the German public media notes. Thanks to this system, the AKP will be able to rule even longer. Uras is convinced of this, as is journalist Yıldırım Oğur, a former supporter of the party. He describes it as a chameleon. In 25 years, as Oğur points out to ARD, it has changed so much that one can now speak of different parties. "The differences are now so great that some of these parties could face each other."