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Abdullah Gül succeeded Ahmet Necdet Sezer as President of Turkey. Gül's election marked a significant shift in Turkish politics, as he was the first president from the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which had been founded by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Gül's presidency was characterized by a focus on economic growth and democratic reforms, and he played a key role in Turkey's accession negotiations with the European Union.