Erdoğan welcomes three mayors to AKP, vows to expand ranks
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 25 said his Justice and Development Party (AKP) would continue to expand its ranks by welcoming politicians who share its values, as three opposition-affiliated local leaders formally joined the ruling bloc.
“Everyone who seeks peace and wants to serve their city and town chooses to do politics under this roof... I welcome all our friends to our ranks. We will be in solidarity on this journey of service,” Erdoğan said during a ceremony in Ankara.
At the ceremony, Nevşehir Mayor Rasim Arı, Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan and Keşan Mayor Mehmet Özcan officially joined the AKP.Erdoğan said the party would continue recruiting individuals who embrace its principles and seek to contribute to the nation in what he described as a peaceful and respectful political environment.
“For us, politics is not an area of activity that looks down on the nation. Society is the founding subject of politics,” he said.
