Erdoğan leads AKP's 'consultation camp' with local agenda

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is hosting the second leg of its "consultation camp" in the capital Ankara's Kızılcahamam district from June 30 to July 2.

The camp will address the outcomes of the recent local elections and the party's initiatives in economy, energy, agriculture, transportation, tourism and environment, according to media reports.

Earlier this month, the first leg of the camp brought together AKP's senior party managers, founding members, parliamentarians and ministers. The session featured comprehensive presentations from key figures and concentrated on legislative activities.

The second leg shifts focus to mayors. Discussions will evaluate the results of the March 31 local elections.

The polls saw the AKP's vote share fall from 44.33 percent in 2019 to 35.48 percent, resulting in a second-place finish behind the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

This marked the first instance of the CHP outperforming the AKP.

Participants at the camp are expected to analyze the reasons for the vote decline and create a road map to address the challenges faced by local governments.

Additionally, the AKP's draft bill on stray animals is anticipated to be a significant topic of discussion. The proposed legislation has sparked public and political debate with its guidelines for stray dogs.

The bill prioritizes rounding up aggressive, rabies-prone, or anatomically deformed dogs while allowing non-threatening and sterilized dogs to remain on the streets.

Strays deemed too ill or excessively aggressive for shelter care, or those not adopted within a month, would face "euthanasia" under the proposed law, a measure that...