AK Party ousts 3-term rule, veteran figures to run

Ahead of the early elections to be held on Nov. 1, the Justice and Development Party (AK Patry) is expected to remove its three-term rule that prevents deputies from being candidates for more than three consecutive terms and to place nearly 30 well-known AK Party figures on the candidate list again, including Bülent Arınç, Ali Babacan, Bekir Bozdağ and Cemil Çiçek. While these figures who gained the nation's sympathy are expected to be seen on the list with a change in the three-term rule, some of the figures will reportedly be included in the party's Central Decision and Administrative Board (MKYK).

Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Çelik who transferred to the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa due to the rotation regulation in 2011 is expected to be a candidate for his hometown of Bursa and be included in the MKYK. Arınç, who was announced as a deputy candidate for Bursa, is expected to announce his candidacy for his hometown of Manisa. Former Justice Minister Bozdağ is expected to top the candidate list in the central Anatolian province of Yozgat while former Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım appears to be a deputy candidate for his hometown of İzmir. Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, who was prevented from becoming a candidate due to three-term rule, is expected to become a deputy candidate from his hometown in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. According to recent studies conducted by AK Party staff, mistakes on its list of deputy candidates caused a loss in party vote totals, especially in eastern Turkey. To prevent such mistakes from repeating, the AK Party will review deputy candidates in critical eastern provinces, such as Diyarbakır, Mardin and Van, and influential figures in the region will be announced as candidates. The local AK Party administration will also receive instructions on how to intensify their work ahead of the early elections. Ahead of the fifth ordinary AK Party congress, to be held on Sept. 12, changes in the AK Party Central Executive Board (MYK) and MKYK will also take place.