With parliamentary elections set for spring 2007, Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) holds sufficient seats to determine the next president, giving Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a clear path to the country's top office, according to a Milliyet column by Yaman Toruner published in November 2006.
Toruner argued that securing the presidency is the AKP's primary strategic goal, outweighing even the risk of losing subsequent general elections. The party calculates that an AKP president would ultimately boost its standing with voters, who are expected to prioritize political stability.
Erdoğan, Toruner wrote, has effectively made up his mind to seek the presidency, even while publicly consulting advisers. Stepping back from the opportunity, the columnist suggested, could be read as a sign of weak leadership.
The AKP also believes its pursuit of European Union membership will give it leverage over the military, whose pressure on the government is seen as routine opposition rather than a genuine obstacle. The main threats to Erdoğan's plan would be an internal party split or a serious economic crisis, with the widening current account deficit identified as the principal financial risk, though Toruner judged a severe downturn before spring unlikely.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.