The congress period for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) started on Aug. 19, and since then, 513 district congresses have been held. A committee of 43 provincial experts and eight vice presidents of organization are carrying out comprehensive work to determine district heads on the basis of geographic location. Following the committee work, the AK Party is finalizing who will be its district heads in accordance with consultations.
Going through a process of rejuvenation and making great effort to select district heads carefully, the AK Party will choose its district heads at the end of the detailed process. Prior to finalizing a district head appointment, the AK Party evaluates the opinions of local nongovernmental organizations, deputies and former deputies, mayors and provincial heads regarding a candidate in a specific district. In addition to consultations, public opinion surveys on candidates were also conducted to reduce the number of candidates for a district head to three. Subsequent to the reduction of the number of candidates to three, detailed reports about candidates are presented to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following the submission of the reports, Erdoğan and AK Party authorities decide on which candidate will be district head for any particular district.Making progress in its rejuvenation process, the AK Party has reported that it has conducted interviews with more than 750 candidates and spent more than 730 hours in the process. The AK Party is expected to hold provincial congresses following the completion of the district congresses.The AK Party has ramped up efforts in the rejuvenation process Erdoğan signaled, holding 50 district congresses every week. The party is expected to conclude the district congresses by the end of October.
The Cabinet has been reshuffled sincğ return of Erdoğan as the party chairman on May 21. Erdoğan has repeatedly spoken of "metal fatigue" within the party. "Our fellow friends in successful branches will, of course, continue to perform their duties, but I guess that you can also agree that comprehensive change is needed in our local administrations," Erdoğan said earlier in July.
