What AK Party’s vision for next 25 years means for Türkiye

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which has shaped Türkiye’s recent political history over the past 25 years, has released its “AK Party 25th Year Vision” document to the public on its 25th anniversary. Titled “From the First Quarter Century to the Second: A Türkiye That Shapes Change,” the new vision goes beyond merely recounting the party’s past achievements. It offers a forward-looking projection of Türkiye’s evolving role in global politics and the transformation of its internal dynamics.

In the preface penned by the President of Türkiye and AK Party Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the statement “The coming quarter century will be the period in which the capacity we have built is transformed into a constitutive impact” encapsulates the document’s central thesis. This perspective signals Türkiye’s ambition to become a constitutive power within the international system. Türkiye’s desire to actively shape a fair global system, rather than passively adapting to an international order dictated by others, signals a decisively proactive shift in its foreign policy.

The document sets out the strategic objectives for Türkiye’s second quarter century through a holistic approach organized around 10 core axes. The vision of a pioneering Türkiye in the global system seeks to consolidate a fully independent foreign policy, strengthen the country’s mediating role in regional crises, and elevate it to the status of a constitutive power on the international stage.

This diplomatic claim is reinforced by the goal of a Türkiye that produces with high technology and grows through high-value-added output, envisioning a sustainable economic model grounded in research, development and innovation. Technological breakthroughs are to be expanded from the defense industry into civilian domains, thereby serving as the engine of economic growth. Emphasis on national technology and digital sovereignty aims to extend the localization experience gained in the defense industry to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and to civilian sectors, while fully securing national data security in cyberspace. The focus on data ownership and digital sovereignty is particularly critical to strategic autonomy.

Turning to domestic politics, the concepts of “Predictable Law, Trustworthy Judiciary, and Inclusive Constitution” and “A Strong, Respected and Human-Centered State” come to the fore. Under the inclusive new constitution vision, the strong stress on a human-centered constitution rooted in civilian will and expanding the sphere of freedoms is noteworthy. The ideal of a strong, respected and human-centered state rests on a public administration architecture free of bureaucratic inertia, equipped with robust digital infrastructure, and operating in a citizen-oriented, transparent and agile manner.

Policies aimed at consolidating the social fabric are built upon the pillars of “Strong Family, Prosperous Society,” “The Century of Türkiye Is Possible with Women,” and “Youth as the Architects of the Future.” The social structure is addressed through the vision of a strong family and prosperous society, placing the protection of the social fabric against global disinformation and the achievement of justice in income distribution at the center.

While the preservation of the family institution remains a focal point of future politics, the examination of women’s and youth policies under dedicated headings reflects an awareness of the transformative power of these demographic groups in the political arena. Affirming that the Century of Türkiye is possible with women, the document prioritizes the effective participation of women in the decision-making process and employment. The “youth as the architects of the future” approach seeks to build an ecosystem that equips young people with the competencies of the digital age and supports entrepreneurship.

The vision of Türkiye in the age of green transformation incorporates environmental and energy policies aligned with the net-zero emissions target, assigning strategic weight to climate change and sustainability. In keeping with the demands of the era, the document also assigns strategic weight to climate change and sustainability under the goal of “Türkiye in the Age of Green Transformation.”

Finally, the vision evolves into a general assessment and a horizon line for the future, titled “Türkiye on the Threshold of the Second Quarter Century.” This part summarizes a confident future vision, prepared for global competition, in which all these strategies are blended with a quarter-century of experience.

The AK Party’s 25th Year Vision presents a highly ambitious and structurally detailed roadmap for the future. From a political sociology standpoint, it is quite notable to see a political movement with a quarter-century of governance experience attempting to renew its momentum, blending its original founding enthusiasm with long-term projections reaching into the 2050s. This vision document is a broad statement of intent articulating the AK Party’s outlook for the future. It is also an important manifesto concerning how Türkiye will relate to the world in the new century of the Republic and on what foundations the state-society relationship will be reproduced. The next goal for the AK Party will be to transform these 10 pillars into comprehensive and concrete public policies. After all, generating a lasting political impact relies on the ability to sustain success stories from the past into the future.

DAILYSABAH