Süleyman Soylu

Süleyman Soylu, born on November twenty-first, nineteen sixty-nine, is a prominent Turkish politician and bureaucrat. He serves as the deputy chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and has held significant ministerial positions, including Minister of Labour and Social Security from November twenty fifteen to August twenty sixteen, and Minister of the Interior from August twenty sixteen until June twenty twenty-three.

His appointment as Interior Minister followed the unexpected resignation of Efkan Ala, a move that Soylu himself described as surprising. Known for his polarizing approach, he has frequently accused opposition parties of colluding with terrorists and has implemented stringent measures against municipalities controlled by opposition parties.

Following President Erdoğan's election victory in two thousand eighteen, Soylu's re-appointment was met with protests from opposition members, who turned their backs during his oath-taking in Parliament. He has been involved in the removal of numerous mayors and officials from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), citing alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and has replaced them with trustees appointed by Ankara. While some nationalist politicians have praised these actions, they have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and human rights organizations.

As a key figure in Turkish politics, Soylu is often viewed as a potential successor to both the leadership of the AK Party and the presidency of Turkey, following Erdoğan.