Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) sought to mend rifts within the party over the weekend and stem the flow of deputies deserting its ranks.
During a three day retreat in the thermal resort town of Kýzýlcahamam near Ankara, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan and members of the cabinet met with the AKP’s parliamentary deputies to discuss policies and address grievances.
One of the main reasons cited by the dozen or so deputies who have resigned from the AKP in the past month has been that they have no contact with the party’s leadership and that their views are not canvassed.
Addressing the meeting, Erdoðan said that the party was still united.
“Even if, due to the country’s matters, we might be separated, we are coming from a culture where our hearts are together,” he told his deputies.
The premier also said that gatherings of AKP deputies would be held regularly at three months intervals.
Erdoðan said that deputies should spend more time explaining the work of the government to the people, adding that he was proud of them and that they were number one party in Turkey.