AKP mayors in 18 more provinces to seek reelection

At a meeting in Ankara over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced 18 more candidates of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for local elections next March. Speaking at the meeting, Premier Erdogan said the AKP Central Executive Board (MYK) had decided to re-nominate the party's current mayors in the provinces of Adiyaman, Aksaray, Balikesir, Bilecik, Bolu, Burdur, Denizli, Elazig, Karabuk, Kilis, Mus, Nevsehir, Rize, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Van and Yozgat. However, Erdogan declined to announce the party's candidate for the Ankara Greater Municipality. He said that they would announce all the candidates by January 15. Rebuffing main opposition Republican People Party (CHP) claims that the government is using social aid programs to win over voters, Erdogan said he find it hard to understand how the CHP can call itself a social democratic party while at the same time trying to halt government aid to the needy. Stressing that the AKP has been fighting poverty and corruption since coming to power six years ago, Erdogan said that his government has allocated some $5 billion for public aid. Addressing his party's candidates, Erdogan urged them to be humble and to work in harmony with local party members. He said they should work to win the people's hearts.