Felicity Party

The Felicity Party (Turkish: Saadet Partisi, SAADET) is an Islamist political party in Turkey. It was founded in 2001, and is mainly supported by conservative Muslims in Turkey. The Felicity Party is among the anti-Erdoğanist parties in Turkey, and accuses Erdogan of being a dictator and undermining democracy. It was founded on 20 July 2001 after the Virtue Party (FP) was banned by the Constitutional Court. While the party's reformist wing formed the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the hardliners founded the Felicity Party. Although an Islamist party, its policy platform covers the whole span of political issues in Turkey. The Felicity Party's vote has been weakened by the success of the moderately Islamist AKP government. It has repeatedly condemned the Turkish government's aspiration to join the European Union, and relationship with Israel and the United States. It has argued that Turkey must adapt its military and foreign policy stance to meet what it argues are increasing threats coming from the West to all Islamic countries. The Party's platform is based on Necmettin Erbakan's ideas and philosophy, known as Millî Görüş.