Erdoğan's frustration: AKP poll says Turkish youth identifies as Atatürkist and Nationalist
It has been reported that a remark by an AKP Central Executive Board (MYK) member suggesting a shift in the party's political identity—specifically, abandoning the conservative-democratic label—angered AKP's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
cumhuriyet.com.trFollowing the local elections, where many polls showed AKP trailing behind the CHP, tensions have risen within the party leadership as they search for a path forward.
According to a report by Türkiye, a newspaper known for its close ties to the government, a field study conducted by the AKP Youth Branch asked young people, "How do you identify yourself?" The overwhelming majority responded with "Atatürkist," while "Nationalist" came in second.
The report claims that during a meeting where the field study results were discussed, a MYK member proposed changing the party's political identity, suggesting that they move away from the conservative-democratic identity. This proposal reportedly infuriated Erdoğan.
Kılıçdaroğlu Consolation
The report also indicated that in the surveys conducted, Erdoğan's support among 18-30-year-olds was higher than that of former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
In response, Erdoğan reportedly stated, "We do not have any issues with recognition. We need to communicate our achievements to the youth more effectively."