Erdoğan pins badges: Two mayors join AKP ranks
Speaking at the AKP Extended Provincial Chairs Meeting, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave important messages regarding organizational efforts. The meeting was marked by the joining of Nevşehir Mayor Rasim Arı and Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan to the AK Party. President Erdoğan pinned the badges of the two individuals.
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President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statements at his party's Extended Provincial Chairs Meeting. Highlights from President Erdoğan's speech are as follows:
"I convey my get-well wishes to the friendly people of Venezuela and state that Turkey stands with them during these difficult days. As the AK Party, we possess an organizational strength that is unparalleled in the world today. We are one of the largest and most widespread political movements not only in Turkey but in the world. The steel core of the AK Party consists of 11 million 550 thousand of our brothers and sisters. To be a member of us means to be enlisted as a soldier in the struggle to serve the nation. We have declared 2026 as the year of neighborhood outreach, and we are working intensively to reach more of our people.
"WE WILL EMBRACE OUR NEW MAYORS"
Everyone who seeks peace and wants to serve their city or town desires to engage in politics under this roof. We will embrace our new mayors. I say welcome to our ranks. We will continue to incorporate those who adopt our principles and want to do good work for their country and nation in a peaceful and respectful atmosphere.
"POLITICS IS NOT A PLACE TO LOOK DOWN ON OTHERS"
At any cost, the anxiety of being on the agenda is turning into a major trap. Politicians also fall into this trap. An approach that breaks the hearts of citizens and chases after shows rather than performance might be the opposition's style of politics, but it is impossible for us to approve of this. Politics is not a place to look down on others. The issue is to win hearts and conquer souls. No brother or sister in our organization should ever forget this: we did not come to act as masters, but to serve the nation, to be servants.
"WE AVOID UNNECESSARY POLEMICS"
We avoid unnecessary polemics with our political rivals. Smearing one's opponent is not our style. We are concerned with getting things done and building upon what exists. We are in pursuit of winning new hearts with our politics of works and service."
NEW ADDITIONS
At the meeting, Nevşehir Mayor Rasim Arı and Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan joined the AKP. President Erdoğan pinned the badges of Arı and Özarslan.