Erdoğan makes self-criticism in iftar speech, attacks CHP: 'A product of our own shortcomings'

Erdoğan spoke at an iftar program where he met with his party's Main Body, Women's Branch, and Youth Branch MKYK members at the AKP Congress Center.

Highlights from the President's statements are as follows:

"As the People's Alliance, we have taken a courageous step toward resolving a scourge that has cost Turkey 40 years, tens of thousands of lives, and hundreds of billions of dollars in resources through our 'terror-free Turkey' initiative, which we are conducting in coordination. Similarly, we have thwarted efforts to infect our country with the sedition of sectarianism, a virus that gnaws at our region from within. With our policies based on humanity, compassion, conscience, and justice, we are winning hearts all over the world, especially in our region. We are successfully implementing a program that will bring permanent solutions to the difficulties experienced in the economy for some time. After spending this year in a disciplined manner, we will begin to take serious steps from next year onwards to compensate for the loss of welfare experienced by our citizens, especially those with fixed and low incomes.

'ROTTEN STRUCTURE' COMPARISON TO CHP

In domestic politics, we never allow the empty debates taking place, especially in the main opposition wing, to distract us from focusing on the real problems of our country. Even if some try to make their own intra-party conflicts and personal ambitions the issue of the country, the facts are as clear as day. Those who do not fulfill their primary responsibilities, with their chairman and the actors eyeing that seat, are chasing an illusion of their own by dedicating all their time to the election three years from now. However, we are facing a rotten structure where corruption, theft, and fraud have engulfed the entire body. Every time we say 'what could be worse,' you see something even more disgraceful spilled out the next day. Especially in municipalities, corruption reaching the level of cannibalism has begun to break the patience of even the conscientious members within the main opposition. We are all witnessing all the symptoms of this mentality, this toxic opposition that poisons our democracy, as we look at the main opposition front. We follow with a smile the claims of those who cannot even manage their own parties, who cannot put their own houses in order, and who cannot even hold a meeting without scandal, to aspire to the administration of the country.

'WE ARE THE BEST CADRE MOVEMENT EVER'

Our agenda is clear. We are dealing with the solutions to the country's real needs such as earthquakes, health, economy, agriculture, and foreign policy. We see it as our debt to our nation to present greater successes that will crown what we have achieved for our country in the last 23 years. We are the best cadre movement this country has ever seen. On this occasion, I once again congratulate our friends who have taken office, newly or re-elected, in the congresses of our main body, as well as our women's and youth branches. The most important attribute of the AK Party is its ability to constantly refresh itself both as a team and as a program.

ERDOĞAN MADE SELF-CRITICISM: A PRODUCT OF OUR OWN SHORTCOMINGS

The position of service does not tolerate arrogance, dreams, laziness, or any other base attitude or behavior. The duty that falls to us is to accept the position of nothingness first and foremost, to integrate with our country, and to become one heart with our nation. As long as we do not deviate from this path, the AK Party government will continue on its way until 2053 and 2071, God willing. When we lose our way, it is inevitable that we will tumble down the road at the first test. If you notice, the lives of all those who predicted an expiration date for the AK Party have ended, but we are standing tall. None of the issues we are struggling with have arisen because others are more successful than us; they are all a product of our own shortcomings. What we need to do is to learn the necessary lessons from these and work day and night. Politics is done in the field, and elections are won in the field. When we succeed in this, whatever the others do, no matter how much they struggle, it is all in vain. When we emerge from the ballot box strongly, it does not matter if the seven worlds come together. Every void we leave will be filled with the lies of the opposition. We will tell our nation what we have done and our projects tirelessly and without hesitation so that we do not leave room for such a weakness."