President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the 7th Ordinary Congress of the AKP Youth Branch. Addressing the youth, President Erdoğan stated, “We have witnessed all kinds of tutelage and lawlessness, but we have never deviated from democracy.”
Key points from President Erdoğan’s statements:
“Dear young people, my precious comrades and companions, I greet each one of you with love. I respectfully greet all the young people in the AKP Youth Branch. I send my regards to all the young people abroad who long for their homeland. I warmly greet our young Mehmetçiks, police officers, and security guards. I send my love on behalf of the AK youth to the brave youth of Gaza who have been enduring Israel’s state terrorism for 15 months and to the revolutionary youth of Syria who brought an end to the Baath regime.”
“WE HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO INJUSTICES” “We have truly faced difficult days in the past 22 years. We have been subjected to serious injustices. We have witnessed all forms of tutelage and lawlessness, but we have never deviated from democracy. We have never been among those who called on our youth to take to the streets. We have tried to stand by every young person.”
“We have implemented reforms that opened the way for our youth in education, politics, civil society, and business. There was a dress code ban, there was the unfairness of the coefficient system, and we abolished them. We tore down the persuasion rooms. Working with a headscarf in the public sector was prohibited, and we opened the way. In every area of life, we trust and support our youth. We ensured the youthfulness of politics by lowering the age of candidacy from 30 to 25 and then to 18.”
“THIS YOUTH IS NOT UNCONSCIOUS” “In just the last 4 years, 700,000 young people have joined our party’s youth branch. This youth is not a rootless, unconscious youth that says ‘oppression began in 1453’ on the walls of Istanbul. This youth is not a vandal youth that burns and destroys the streets just because a few trees were moved. This youth is not the deceived youth that throws Molotov cocktails. This youth is not the youth that mocks the pain of our families on the dark day when we lost 78 lives. This youth is the one that honors 1453. This youth is a patriotic, national youth that loves its homeland. I see before me a youth that we can entrust our future to with peace of mind. I thank all my young brothers and sisters who are tirelessly moving toward the goals of the Turkish Century.”
“WE ARE TAKING MEASURES AGAINST LGBT PLAGUE” “We launched the family and youth fund application for the May 14-28 elections across all our provinces. We are taking protective measures against the LGBT perversion, which is spreading like a plague worldwide. Our fight against harmful habits continues.”
“THE END OF THE ROAD IS IN SIGHT” “Our struggle against the terrorist organization that has been draining the blood of our country and nation for 40 years continues. The end of the road is in sight for the terrorist barons. We will rid ourselves of the trouble that imperialists have caused us and will together build our bright future. We will create an environment where all 85 million of our people, regardless of Turkish, Kurdish, or Arab origin, will benefit.”
“While others try to divide and separate, we will continue our efforts to unite the youth of this country. We will continue to selflessly serve this country and this nation.”
