ANKARA
Almost into its tenth year in power, Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party held a congress on Sunday in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
"Great Nation, Great Power, Target: 2023" read the chief motto of the fourth AK Party congress with a reference to the year 2023, when the Turkish Republic will celebrate the centennial anniversary of its foundation.
AK Party was founded in 2001 and it won a landslide victory in elections in November 2002, winning over two-thirds of parliamentary seats.
In early general elections in July 2007, the AK Party increased its support to 47 percent and in the general elections on June 12, 2011, the party boosted its popular vote to 49.8 percent, claiming 327 parliamentary seats to form a third-consecutive majority government.