Erdoğan vows to build 'new Türkiye' after 2028 polls
ISTANBUL
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged to build a "new Türkiye" after the country's next elections set for 2028.
"We will build a new Istanbul, a new Türkiye after 2028," Erdoğan said during an event in the megacity on Feb. 7.
Erdoğan's remarks underlined his position that elections should proceed as planned despite opposition calls for an early vote.
"We are all walking towards 2028," he added. "Just as we founded our party on Aug. 14, 2001, and came to power on Nov. 3, 2002... we will achieve much more together."
Erdoğan emphasized his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) past efforts in restructuring the country, stating that they had "demolished dirty structures and repelled vile attacks."
"We will bring our country to higher levels in the world by working with the same passion for service. As the AKP and the [ruling] People's Alliance, we will build the Century of Türkiye together."
The president described the AKP as a "movement of the virtuous" and "the meeting point of hearts that beat with love for the homeland."
"Each of our members and friends has already written their names in history," he said. "Regardless of our duty, we are all soldiers of a blessed cause whose roots are in the past and whose eyes are in the future."
The meeting in Istanbul was part of a series of provincial gatherings leading up to the AKP's major congress scheduled for Feb. 28.
Erdoğan's party held an extraordinary congress held in October 2023, during which he was reelected as the leader.
It also saw a significant reshuffle in the central decision-making body, with 49 members losing their positions and 26 incumbents retaining theirs.
