Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairperson Numan Kurtulmuş said at a press conference held on Thursday before the "Politics in the 21st Century and New Initiatives Forum" that Türkiye's vision of peace empowers its "Century of Türkiye," a political campaign conducted by the party ahead of the upcoming elections.
"The next year will be important not only for Türkiye but also for the world. As a strong country, Türkiye will increase its power in every field and continue on its way," Kurtulmuş said in the event organized in Istanbul, as the AK Party celebrates its 20th anniversary.
"In 2023, Türkiye will also struggle with global tutelage orders and reveal the results for the well-being of people. The Century of Türkiye is actually a vision of peace," he highlighted.
Participants included the party's Deputy Chairperson Mustafa Şen, Kahramanmaraş deputy Mahir Ünal, Yalova deputy Ahmet Büyükgümüş and Central Decision-Making and Administrative Committee (MKYK) member Ayşe Böhürler.
Türkiye's role as a mediator
Kurtulmuş also touched upon the issue of the grain corridor, which has occupied the world's agenda in recent days and in which Türkiye has been playing an exemplary mediator role between Russia and Ukraine.
"From the first moment of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been able to negotiate all issues with both sides on every platform. It's the only country that can talk to Russia," he said.
"The reopening of the grain corridor is an important step toward peace, as Russia has reaffirmed Türkiye's leadership to ensure that the Ukrainian grain reaches international markets in return for written assurances from Ukraine," Kurtulmuş added.
A common success
Kurtulmuş also made statements about the headscarf constitutional amendment, which has been a hot topic in Turkish politics in recent days between the current government and the opposition.
"We shared a step with all political parties to expand the areas of rights and freedoms with the constitutional amendment in Türkiye. All parties see this issue not as a political debate but as an expansion of rights and freedoms that concern our entire nation," Kurtulmuş said.
The AK Party's deputy chairperson said that the opposition's positive response to the government's call for a resolution will counter the need for a referendum. "It's a success," he said as he welcomed the opposition's reaction, saying "if such a success occurs, it will be the joint success of the current Parliament, i.e. of all political parties."
The forum will be held on Nov. 4-5 in the European side of Istanbul. Erdoğan is expected to attend the gathering, while speakers from many countries will attend the forum. The aim of the event is to provide "suggestions for the good of humanity" and offer "answers and solutions to the questions and problems of 21st-century politics."
Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, AK Party Deputy Chairperson Efkan Ala, who is responsible for the party's foreign affairs, and AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik will also be among the participants.
The AK Party's rise gained momentum on Nov. 3, 2002, just one year after its foundation, as it achieved enormous success in its first general elections, garnering 34.3% of the vote and earning 363 seats in Parliament.
Since then, the party has participated in six general elections – in 2002, 2007, 2011 and June 2015, and the snap elections of November 2015 and 2018 – and won them all.
As a result, in the last two decades, two presidents and four prime ministers were elected by the AK Party.