
On June 12 elections in Turkey resulted in the return to power of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) which won 50 percent of the votes. This not only brings the incumbent Prime Minister Erdogan back to power, but also bodes well for Turkish democracy.
AKP to Create Consensus
Now that the AKP has a strong and clear mandate to govern for another term, they will begin to gather together a consensus to create a new constitution and solve the Kurdish issue in a peaceful way.
This is the first time since multi-party politics began in Turkey in 1946 that one political party has remained in power for three terms in a row while also increasing votes.
The AKP has been instituting numerous reforms since they came to power in 2002. These include political and judicial reforms, strengthening the economy of Turkey, and enlarging foreign policy.
AKP and Erdogan Win Mandate to Act
Election results show that the majority of Turkish voters are in favor of the reforms which Prime Minister Erdogan and his government have implemented, and they are ready for more.
This election is more evidence supporting the fact that democracy in Turkey is strong and vital, especially considering the fact that there are decades of military coups and anti-democratic practices in Turkey’s history. The great success of the AKP is due mainly to its power to maintain a balance of democratization and reforms on one side and continued economic development and national services on the other side. Financial markets have already responded positively to the election’s outcome, with a great expectation that the Turkish economy will continue to expand.