View source for Felicity Party

{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=October 2010}}
{{Original research|date=October 2021}}
}}
{{Infobox political party
| native_name      = Saadet Partisi
| native_name_lang = tr
| logo             = Saadet Partisi Kare Logo.svg
| colorcode        = {{party color|Felicity Party}}
| leader           = [[:tr:Mahmut Arıkan|Mahmut Arıkan]]
| general_secretary = Mesut Doğan
| founder          = [[Necmettin Erbakan]]<br/>[[Recai Kutan]]
| abbreviation     = SAADET (official)<br />SP (unofficial)
| spokesperson     = Birol Aydın
| foundation       = {{start date|2001|7|20|df=y}}
| ideology         = {{Nowrap|[[Conservatism]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite news |last= Fraser |first= Suzan |date= 6 March 2023 |title= Alliance picks main opposition leader to run against Erdogan |url= https://apnews.com/article/turkey-elections-erdogan-opposition-split-2d52c9df538ea6f1b6f915b781ef2742 |work= The Associated Press |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Buyuk |first= Hamdi |date= 18 May 2023 |title= Turkey’s New Parliament: More Parties and More Women |url= https://balkaninsight.com/2023/05/18/turkeys-new-parliament-more-parties-and-more-women/ |work= Balkan Insight |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 2 May 2018 |title= Turkish opposition parties to sign four-way election alliance |url= https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkish-opposition-parties-sign-four-way-election-alliance |work= Middle East Eye |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref>}}<br>[[Religious conservatism]]<ref>{{cite news |date= 7 June 2018 |title= Q & A: Turkey’s Elections |url= https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/06/07/q-turkeys-elections |work= Human Rights Watch |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref><br>[[Religious nationalism]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite book|editor=Necati Polat |title=Regime Change in Contemporary Turkey: Politics, Rights, Mimesis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TjZYDwAAQBAJ&q=In+the+nationwide+local+elections+in+March+2004%2C+the+Islamonationalist+Party+of+Bliss+%28or+Felicity+Party%2C+Saadet+Partisi%2C+SP%29&pg=PT128 |quote= In the nationwide local elections in March 2004, the Islamonationalist Party of Bliss (or Felicity Party, Saadet Partisi, SP) representing the settled Islamist outlook in politics for some time, from which the AKP had departed abandoning its identity discourse for a wider slant, would sink to 4 per cent. |date=2016 |publisher=[[Edinburgh University Press]]|isbn=9781474416993}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Cook |first= Steven |date= 14 April 2023 |title= What if Kemal Kilicdaroglu Wins Turkey’s Election? |url= https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/04/14/turkey-election-kemal-kilicdaroglu-chp-platform-erdogan/ |work= Foreign Policy |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref>}}<br>[[Millî Görüş]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fr.de/politik/wahl-erdogan-verliert-mit-yeniden-refah-partisi-ersten-buendnis-partner-tuerkei-92159538.html|title=Erdogan verliert vor der Türkei-Wahl den ersten Bündnis-Partner|lang=de|date=2023-03-27|access-date=2024-02-21}}</ref><br>[[Islamism]]{{refn|<ref name="radical">{{cite book|editor=Benjamin Bruce |title=Governing Islam Abroad: Turkish and Moroccan Muslims in Western Europe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lHUKBAAAQBAJ&q=taiwan+far-right+NP&pg=PA44 |quote= Over the last years, it seems that ''Süleymancılar'' vote has increasingly become split between the far-right nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi, MHP), the Islamist Felicity Party, and the AKP. |date=2018 |page=25 |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]]|isbn=9781317755098}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date= 2023 |title= Voices from Turkish Politics: A Conversation with Temel Karamollaoğlu |url= https://www.mei.edu/events/voices-turkish-politics-conversation-temel-karamollaoglu |website= Middle East Institute |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Soylu |first= Ragip |date= 4 May 2023 |title= Turkey elections: Can the opposition stay together if they win? |url= https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-elections-can-opposition-stay-together-if-win |work= Middle East Eye |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last= Aslı |first= Hürcan |date= 29 March 2021 |title= What lies behind Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention? |url= https://www.swp-berlin.org/en/publication/what-lies-behind-turkeys-withdrawal-from-the-istanbul-convention/ |website= [[German Institute for International and Security Affairs]] |access-date= 23 May 2025}}</ref>}}}}
| religion         = 
| newspaper        = ''[[Millî Gazete]]''
| headquarters     = Ziyabey Cad. 2. Sk. No: 15, Altındağ, Ankara, Turkey
| website          = {{Official URL}}
| country          = Turkey
| position         = [[Right-wing]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.duvarenglish.com/opposition-felicity-and-future-parties-to-form-alliance-for-upcoming-local-elections-news-62888 | title=Opposition Felicity and Future parties to form alliance for upcoming local elections | date=13 August 2023}}</ref>
| predecessor      = [[Virtue Party]]
| colours          = {{Color box|#CF3338}} Red (official)<br />{{Color box|{{party color|Felicity Party}}}} Hot pink (customary)
| national         = [[Nation Alliance (Turkey)|Nation Alliance]] (2018–2023)<br>[[Felicity and Future Alliance]] (2023–2025)<br>[[New Path]] (2025–present)
| youth_wing       = Genç Saadet
| membership_year  = 2025
| womens_wing      = Saadet Kadın Kolları
| membership       = {{decrease}} 232,928<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yargitaycb.gov.tr/icerik/1167|title=Saadet Partisi|publisher=[[Court of Cassation (Turkey)|Court of Cassation]]|access-date=3 February 2025|language=tr}}</ref>
| seats1_title     = [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Grand National Assembly]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|1|600|hex={{party color|Felicity Party}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[List of municipalities in Turkey|District municipalities]]
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|1|922|hex={{party color|Felicity Party}}}}
| seats5_title     = [[Belde|Belde Municipalities]]
| seats5           = {{Composition bar|3|388|hex={{party color|Felicity Party}}}}
| seats7_title     = [[2014 Turkish local elections|Municipal Assemblies]]
| seats7           = {{Composition bar|72|20952|hex={{party color|Felicity Party}}}}
| flag             = [[File:Flag of the Felicity Party.svg|200px|border|Flag of the Felicity Party]]
}}

The '''Felicity Party''' ({{langx|tr|Saadet Partisi}}, '''SAADET''') is an [[Islamism|Islamist]] [[Turkey|Turkish]] political party. It was founded in 2001, and mainly supported by conservative Muslims in Turkey.

It was founded on 20 July 2001 after the [[Virtue Party (Turkey)|Virtue Party]] (FP) was banned by the [[Constitutional Court of Turkey|Constitutional Court]].  While the party's reformist wing formed the [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|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 Islamic [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|Justice and Development Party]] government. It has repeatedly condemned the Turkish government's desire 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 [[Western world|the West]] to all Muslim countries. The Party's platform is based strongly around [[Necmettin Erbakan]]'s [[Millî Görüş|ideas and philosophy]].

==History==
The Felicity Party has not been particularly successful electorally, polling just 2.5% of the vote in the [[2002 Turkish general election|2002 general elections]], thereby failing to pass the 10% threshold necessary to gain representation in the [[Turkish Grand National Assembly]]. It was slightly more successful in the local elections of 29 March 2004, winning 4.1% of the vote and a number of mayoralties, although none of any particular significance. In the [[2011 Turkish general election|2011 election]] they were reduced to 1.24% on the vote. During the period, [[Recai Kutan]] (20 July 2001 – 11 May 2003 and again 30 January 2004 – 29 March 2008), [[Necmettin Erbakan]] (11 May 2003 – 30 January 2004 and again from 17 October 2010<ref>{{cite news |title=84-year-old Erbakan elected Felicity Party leader |url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-224691-84-year-old-erbakan-elected-felicity-party-leader.html |newspaper=[[Today's Zaman]] |date=October 18, 2010 |access-date=October 18, 2010}}</ref> till his death on 27 February 2011) and [[Numan Kurtulmuş]] (26 October 2008 – 1 October 2010) were leaders. In [[June 2015 Turkish general election|June 2015 elections]] it won 2.06% of the votes.

=== National Alliance ===
In preparation for the [[June 2015 Turkish general election|June 2015 general election]], the Felicity Party stated that it was open to negotiate an electoral alliance with other parties such as the [[Great Union Party]] (BBP) and the larger [[Nationalist Movement Party]] (MHP). Although the MHP later announced that it was not willing to form an electoral alliance, the Felicity Party (SP) and BBP agreed upon a new alliance in order to increase their chances of surpassing the [[election threshold]] of 10% to gain representation in [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Parliament]]. The new alliance was named the '''National Alliance''' ''(Millî İttifak)''.

The [[Nation and Justice Party]] (MİLAD) also expressed their intention to join the alliance, but when they were only given top spots on the candidate lists in only 4 electoral districts, MİLAD withdrew and was unable to contest the election for not sending their own party lists to the [[Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey|Supreme Electoral Council]] on time.

The candidate lists were drawn up such that BBP candidates were placed top in electoral districts in which they won more votes than the SP in 2011, while SP candidates were placed top in provinces in which the SP had beaten the BBP in 2011. This meant that an SP candidate was placed first in 55 provinces, while a BBP candidate was placed first in 30. The remaining positions subsequently alternated between SP and BBP candidates.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/politika_sp-bbp-isbirliginin-ismi-belli-oldu-milli-ittifak_2287902.html |title=SP-BBP işbirliğinin ismi belli oldu: Millî İttifak-İzmir Haberleri |access-date=2015-05-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412162317/http://www.zaman.com.tr/politika_sp-bbp-isbirliginin-ismi-belli-oldu-milli-ittifak_2287902.html |archive-date=2015-04-12 }}</ref> SP leader [[Mustafa Kamalak]] was selected as the first candidate for [[İstanbul (electoral districts)|İstanbul's]] [[İstanbul (1st electoral district)|1st electoral district]] while BBP leader [[Mustafa Destici]] was selected as the first candidate for [[Ankara (electoral districts)|Ankara's]] [[Ankara (2nd electoral district)|2nd electoral district]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/secim/iste-sp-bbp-ittifakinin-aday-listesi-2117540|title=İşte SP-BBP ittifakının aday listesi|first=Yeni|last=Şafak|date=April 12, 2015|website=Yeni Şafak}}</ref>

=== Nation Alliance ===
{{See also|2018 Temel Karamollaoğlu presidential campaign}}[[File:Saadet Partisi'nin illere göre oy dağılımı 2019.png|Felicity Party's vote distribution in 2019 local elections|thumb|right]]
The party participated in the [[Nation Alliance (Turkey)|Nation Alliance]] in the [[2018 Turkish general election|2018 general elections]] with the [[Republican People's Party]] (CHP), [[Good Party]] (İYİ), and [[Democrat Party (Turkey, current)|Democrat Party]] (DP).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-05-04 |title=Seçim 2018: Muhalefetin kurduğu Millet İttifakı nasıl işleyecek? |language=tr |work=BBC News Türkçe |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-43992766 |access-date=2023-03-11}}</ref>

In 2022, the party took part in the establishment of the [[Table of Six]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Altı Siyasi Parti Genel Başkanının Ortak Açıklaması |url=https://chp.org.tr/haberler/alti-siyasi-parti-genel-baskaninin-ortak-aciklamasi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114194253/https://chp.org.tr/haberler/alti-siyasi-parti-genel-baskaninin-ortak-aciklamasi |archive-date=14 November 2022 |access-date=15 November 2022 |website=chp.org.tr |language=Turkish}}</ref> It received 10 deputies from CHP's list in the [[2023 Turkish parliamentary election|2023 parliamentary election]], and supported [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]]'s candidacy in the [[2023 Turkish presidential election|2023 presidential election]]. 

=== Since 2023 ===
On July 6, 2023, SP and the [[Future Party (Turkey)|Future Party]] formed a [[Felicity and Future Alliance|parliamentary group]] under SP's banner, and competed in the [[2024 Turkish local elections|2024 local election]] in an electoral alliance.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Solaker |first=Gülsen |date=7 July 2023 |title=Gelecek ve Saadet Partisi Meclis'te ortak grup kurdu |work=Deutsche Welle |url=https://www.dw.com/tr/gelecek-ve-saadet-partisi-mecliste-ortak-grup-kurdu/a-66137799 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Karamollaoğlu ve Davutoğlu Meclis kulisinde vekillerle bir araya geldi |url=https://www.milligazete.com.tr/haber/15656875/karamollaoglu-ve-davutoglu-meclis-kulisinde-vekillerle-bir-araya-geldi |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=Milli Gazete |language=tr}}</ref> Saadet received 1.09%, and Gelecek 0.07%, of the electorate.

== Political positions ==
The Felicity Party works both as a political party and an enormous social organization. It has party branches in nearly every district, small town and city in the country.

In the past, it has organized demonstrations on a wide range of issues, often involving tens of thousands of participants. Thousands of protesters joined SP organized demonstrations against the [[Operation Phantom Fury|2004 attack on Fallujah]], against the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|cartoons of Muhammad]] in newspapers around the world, and Israel's invasion of [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]] during the [[2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict]]. SP has criticized the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]] over attacks against Iranian forces, and condemned both the [[assassination of Jamal Khashoggi]] and the [[assassination of Qasem Soleimani]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-20 |title=Saadet Partisi Genel Başkanı Karamollaoğlu: Kaşıkçı'nın ölümünü nasıl izah edecekler |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/saadet-partisi-genel-baskani-karamollaoglu-kasikcinin-olumunu-nasil-izah-edecekler/1287845 |website=Anadolu Agency |language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-10 |title=Saadet Partisi Genel Başkanı Karamollaoğlu: Trump'ın dengesiz gidişatı Amerika için tehlike |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/politika/saadet-partisi-genel-baskani-karamollaoglu-trumpin-dengesiz-gidisati-amerika-icin-tehlike/1696381 |website=Anadolu Agency |language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-04 |title=Temel Karamollaoğlu'na göre Kasım Süleymani şehit oldu |url=https://www.ensonhaber.com/gundem/temel-karamollaogluna-gore-kasim-suleymani-sehit-oldu |website=Ensonhaber |language=tr}}</ref>

SP has been accused by Arab and pro-government commentators of pursuing pro-Iranian views due to former SP leader [[Mustafa Kamalak|Mustafa Kamalak's]] comments and visits to Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-17 |title=حزب السعادة التركي |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/2015/6/11/%D8%AD%D8%B2%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9 |website=Al Jazeera |language=ar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-13 |title=Cübbeli'den Saadet Partisi ile Kılıçdaroğlu arasında İran bağlantısı |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/siyaset/cubbeliden-saadet-partisi-ile-kilicdaroglu-arasinda-iran-baglantisi-2060650 |website=Cumhuriyet |language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-11 |title=Eski Saadet Partisi Genel Başkanı Kamalak: Esad'la görüştük diye bize tepki gösterenler ABD'nin ağzıyla konuşuyordu |url=https://www.indyturk.com/node/597966/haber/eski-saadet-partisi-genel-ba%C5%9Fkan%C4%B1-kamalak-esadla-g%C3%B6r%C3%BC%C5%9Ft%C3%BCk-diye-bize-tepki |website=Independent Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref>

==Party leaders==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! #
! Leader<br /><small>(Birth–Death)</small>
! Portrait
! Took office
! Left office
|-
| 1 || [[Recai Kutan]]<br/><small>(1930&ndash;2024)</small> || [[File:Recai Kutan 2009 crop.jpg|75px]] || 20 July 2001 || 11 May 2003
|-
| 2 || [[Necmettin Erbakan]]<br/><small>(1926&ndash;2011)</small> || [[File:Necmettin Erbakan.jpg|75px]] || 11 May 2003 || 30 January 2004
|-
| (1) || [[Recai Kutan]]<br/><small>(1930&ndash;2024)</small> || [[File:Recai Kutan 2009 crop.jpg|75px]] || 8 April 2006<br/>(acting from 30 January 2004) || 26 October 2008
|-
| 3 || [[Numan Kurtulmuş]]<br/><small>(1959&ndash;)</small> || [[File:Nkurtusmus kongre 2010.jpg|75px]] || 26 October 2008 || 17 October 2010
|-
| (2) || [[Necmettin Erbakan]]<br/><small>(1926&ndash;2011)</small> || [[File:Necmettin Erbakan.jpg|75px]] || 17 October 2010 || 27 February 2011
|-
| 4 || [[Mustafa Kamalak]]<br/><small>(1948&ndash;)</small> ||[[File:MustafaKamalak.png|75px]]|| 5 March 2011 || 30 October 2016
|-
| 5 || [[Temel Karamollaoğlu]]<br /><small>(1941&ndash;)</small> || [[File:Temel-Karamollaoğlu (cropped).jpg|94x94px]] || 30 October 2016 || 27 November 2024
|-
| 6 || [[:tr:Mahmut Arıkan|Mahmut Arıkan]]<br><small>(1977&ndash;)</small> || [[File:Mahmut Arıkan 2023.jpg|94x94px]] || 27 November 2024 || ''Incumbent''
|}

==Election results==

===Parliamentary elections===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|+[[Grand National Assembly of Turkey]]
!Year
!Leader
!Votes
!%
!Seats
!+/-
!Position
|-
![[2002 Turkish general election|2002]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Recai Kutan]]
|785,489
|2.49 (#8)
|{{Composition bar|0|550|{{party color|Democrat Party (Turkey, current)}}}}
|
|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}
|-
![[2007 Turkish general election|2007]]
|820,289
|2.34 (#6)
|{{Composition bar|0|550|{{party color|Democrat Party (Turkey, current)}}}}
|{{nochange}} 0
|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}
|-
![[2011 Turkish general election|2011]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Mustafa Kamalak]]
|543,454
|1.27 (#4)
|{{Composition bar|0|550|{{party color|Democrat Party (Turkey, current)}}}}
|{{nochange}} 0
|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}
|-
![[June 2015 Turkish general election|June 2015]]
|949,178
|2.06 (#5)
|{{Composition bar|0|550|{{party color|Democrat Party (Turkey, current)}}}}
|{{nochange}} 0
|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}
|-
![[November 2015 Turkish general election|November 2015]]
|325,978
|0.68 (#5)
|{{Composition bar|0|550|{{party color|Democrat Party (Turkey, current)}}}}
|{{nochange}} 0
|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}
|-
![[2018 Turkish parliamentary election|2018]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Temel Karamollaoğlu]]
|672,139
|1.34 (#6)
|{{Composition bar|2|600|{{party color|Felicity Party}}}}{{efn|2 deputies elected on [[Republican People's Party|CHP]] list}}
|{{increase}} 2
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[2023 Turkish parliamentary election|2023]]
|colspan="2"|''Ran on [[Republican People's Party|CHP]] list''
|{{Composition bar|10|600|{{party color|Felicity Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 8
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|}

== See also ==
* [[List of Islamic political parties]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
{{Islamism}}
{{Milli Görüş parties}}
{{SP Leaders}}
{{Political parties of Turkey}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2001 establishments in Turkey]]
[[Category:Conservatism in Turkey]]
[[Category:Eurosceptic parties in Turkey]]
[[Category:Far-right political parties in Turkey]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2001]]
[[Category:Political parties in Turkey]]
[[Category:Islamic nationalism]]
[[Category:Social conservative parties]]
[[Category:Islamic political parties in Turkey]]
[[Category:Islamic political parties]]