The 8th Ordinary Grand Congress of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), held in Ankara on Sunday, brought significant changes to the party’s leadership. More than half of the members of the central executive committee were replaced and the executive board was reshuffled, reflecting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s efforts to consolidate control. Several new appointments transferred from opposition parties, notably the İYİ (Good) Party and Gelecek (Future) Party.
Declaring that Turkey was entering a ‘new era’, Erdoğan framed the restructuring as essential to ensuring stability, stating that achieving peace required the removal of obstacles to national unity. He said:
"As a new world is being established, Turkey must rid itself of its burdens, especially the scourge of terror. The days when the dark shadow of terror, violence and weapons will be completely lifted from our country and region are, God willing, very close. We will hope for the best while preparing for the worst, and we will achieve our goal of a Turkey without terror."
Erdoğan also suggested that once the armed conflict is resolved, Turkey will be able to engage in broader discussions on democracy, economic development and regional integration. He stressed that democracy remains Turkey’s driving force and called for the strengthening of national cohesion through inclusive governance. He further acknowledged the role of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in shaping Turkey’s political landscape, describing him as a ‘mediator’ in resolving ‘chronic problems’.
Erdoğan’s comments directly refer to a process started with the last meetings between a pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party delegation, comprising the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Sırrı Süreyya Önder, MP Pervin Buldan, with imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan at İmralı Prison on 28 December. The delegation aimed to bolster political consensus after Öcalan responded positively to Bahçeli’s suggestion that his isolation could be lifted if he publicly called for the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve. Since the meeting, the DEM Party delegation has engaged in a series of discussions with parliamentary leaders, imprisoned Kurdish politicians, and leading figures of Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) placing an emphasis on political dialogue to resolve the Kurdish question.
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One of the most notable appointments in the reshuffle was Dr Serap Yazıcı Özbudun, formerly of the Gelecek Party. Her inclusion in the executive committee is noteworthy because of her both past criticism of the government’s constitutional policies and advocacy for a new, more democratic constitution. The reshuffle signalled a strategic effort to strengthen the party’s position ahead of the coming elections and marked a significant shift in the party’s internal dynamics.
Erdoğan also used the congress to issue a warning to non-political actors seeking to influence Turkey’s political landscape, in particular the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD). “If you want to engage in politics, this is the arena. But the era of unofficial politics is over,” he said in a statement widely interpreted as a challenge to business elites who have criticised the government’s economic policies.
The congress reaffirmed Erdoğan’s grip on the AKP while hinting at a possible recalibration of Turkey’s approach to the Kurdish question – albeit within a strictly security-focused discourse. The government’s stance on reconciliation remains ambiguous, and the controversial nature of some of the new appointments suggests that the AKP’s strategy remains one of cautious recalibration rather than decisive transformation.
