Public to pick AK Party's parliamentary candidates for 2023 elections
Supporters of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) wave their flags at the AK Party's 21st founding anniversary in ATO Congresium in the capital Ankara, Türkiye, Aug. 15, 2022. (AA Photo)


Within the scope of the Century of Türkiye vision recently announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to strengthen the country, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has started its search for the candidates it will nominate in the June 2023 parliamentary elections, in line with what the public wants.

According to the latest research, parliamentary candidate lists affect the election results by 3-5%. For this reason, the AK Party aims to enter the elections with the right names and obtain a majority in the Assembly. Citizens' favorite party members will be determined separately for each province and placed on parliamentary candidate lists.

In this context, within the framework of the surveys conducted throughout Türkiye's 81 provinces, citizens continue to be asked about their satisfaction with current deputies. In addition, they are asked to list the names they want to see as members of Parliament. It is expected that proposals to be candidates will be made to the names that come up in the research. The party management has underlined that the candidates that will be nominated as deputies in the upcoming elections will be figures "approved by the people."

In addition, new decisions regarding the nominations are set to be made at Central Decision-Making and Administrative Committee (MKYK) meetings. The issue of serving at least three terms as a provincial official prior to becoming a candidate will also be evaluated in the near future.

The AK Party replaces at least half of the current parliamentarians in every election. The same rate of renewal is expected in these elections. Since the election will be very critical, it is said that the lists of candidates will be prepared with extreme sensitivity.