Post-referendum report to guide AK Party on 2019 elections

THE RULING Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is making some necessary adjustments within the organization in line with an analysis prepared in the aftermath of the April 16 referendum, Turkish media reports have claimed.

According to the Turkish language daily, Hürriyet, a political analysis commission within the AK Party prepared a comprehensive report after the April 16 referendum, underlining what the party can and must do in order to persuade the “no” voters ahead of the 2019 general and presidential elections. In line with the analysis, the AK Party has kicked off a reshuffling process and made some changes to its actions and statements. The analysis reportedly urged the party to declare 2018 as the year of services and follow a specific roadmap for the 2019 elections.

The analysis also reportedly pointed to underperforming mayors, local administrators and district branches. The commission advised the party that those posts be reshuffled immediately. Another suggestion was to establish a team that will monitor the performances of the local branches within the headquarters in Ankara. It also urged that deputies and party members refrain from making statements that might stir political controversy in and outside the party and assigned a team of 25 to handle the responsibilities of issuing statements.

One of the most significant points underlined in the analysis was the policy shift for the AK Party. The report advised the party headquarters to shift the policy to a more central point.