Efkan Ala

Efkan Ala is a Turkish politician born on February 21, 1965, in Oltu District of Erzurum Province. He serves as deputy chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), with responsibilities in areas such as foreign affairs. Ala has held prominent roles in Turkish politics, including a tenure as Minister of the Interior from November 2015 to August 2016, contributing to key governmental and party leadership functions.

Early life and education

Early life

Efkan Ala was born on February 21, 1965, in Oltu District, Erzurum Province, Turkey.

Education

Efkan Ala completed his middle and high school education at Erzurum İmam Hatip Lisesi.

He began his undergraduate studies at Istanbul University Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Public Administration in 1983, graduating in 1987.

Ala later earned a master's degree in economics from Karadeniz Technical University.

Political career

Justice and Development Party involvement

Efkan Ala, having served in prior governmental roles, joined the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) ahead of the June 2015 general elections, where he was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Erzurum Province. His early roles within the party included organizational efforts in his home region of Erzurum, contributing to local party strengthening and campaign activities. These involvements focused on building grassroots support and policy discussions at the provincial level before advancing to broader responsibilities.

Minister of the Interior

Efkan Ala was appointed Minister of the Interior in November 2015 as part of the new cabinet following the Justice and Development Party's victory in the snap elections. His tenure focused on managing internal security amid heightened threats from terrorist groups.

During this period, Turkey experienced multiple bombings and attacks, contributing to public pressure on security policies. Ala oversaw responses to these incidents, which included intensified counter-terrorism operations.

Ala resigned on August 31, 2016, after a series of deadly attacks that had plagued the country, prompting criticism over the interior ministry's effectiveness. Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım announced the resignation as part of a minor cabinet reshuffle, with Süleyman Soylu appointed as his replacement.

Deputy chairmanship of AK Parti

Efkan Ala has served as a deputy chairman (Genel Başkan Vekili) of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), a role in which he oversees key areas including foreign relations and international engagement. Previously, he held the position of deputy head of foreign relations at the AK Parti central executive committee, contributing to the party's diplomatic outreach and policy formulation.

In this capacity post-2016, Ala has influenced the party's positioning on global issues, including participation in international parliamentary bodies such as sub-committees on artificial intelligence and human rights within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. His responsibilities extend to coordinating the party's foreign affairs strategy, fostering ties with international counterparts, and representing AK Parti in multilateral forums.