Erdoğan to Tired Party Members: Step Aside or Earn Your Place

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a strong message to his AK Party members in Sakarya, stating that those who are tired should step aside, or else "give their due to the field." "We don't have time to waste," he declared, emphasizing that the party would not cede public spaces.

Erdoğan framed the ruling party as a "door of healing" for citizens, promising to find solutions to their problems and utilize all available resources. He spoke of the party's quarter-century journey, asserting that they had held themselves accountable before the public did. He highlighted the AK Party's consistent principles, openness to different ideas, and continuous expansion of its vision, noting that new pages and characters have been added to the party's narrative. Future goals, he said, have been reviewed and will guide the party's path forward.

Reflecting on the party's origins, Erdoğan stated they set out to serve the nation, driven by a "unity of destiny" rather than mere shared interests. He described overcoming obstacles and setting new goals as a continuous process. He expressed pride in the party's achievements and the loyalty of the Turkish people, who have entrusted their future to the AK Party. "I am pleased with you, my brothers, and I believe the nation is pleased with you," he said, vowing to continue their journey for many more years.

Beyond domestic politics, Erdoğan underscored the party's international role, portraying the AK Party as a beacon of hope not only for Turkey's 86 million citizens but also for the broader Muslim world. He cited the party's support for Somalis, its efforts to publicize the Arakan crisis and Pakistan's floods, and its stance on the "genocide in Gaza." He asserted that Turkey's foreign policy has opened the nation to the world, embracing kardeş coğrafyalar (brotherly geographies) that were long ignored. "Wherever there is injustice, we have been there," he stated, vowing to be present wherever "Turks are spoken of."