When the AKP – which advocated a moderate form of Islamist politics that challenged the secularism that had prevailed since modern Turkey’s founding – won its first election in 2002, it was Gül who served as Prime Minister, because Erdoğan was banned from holding political office at the time. The economic reforms and other liberalizing measures undertaken under Gül’s leadership led many people to believe that the AKP was creating a form of Islamist politics akin to that of European Christian Democracy.