A day after the electoral success of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a bitter reality is hitting all of us: Turkey does not have a meaningful and effective opposition and this is a serious shortcoming for democracy.
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is hardly a match for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), nor is it a viable alternative.
This was proven in Sunday's polls.
As a matter of fact, while the CHP is supposed to be a left-wing political entity, it actually had to recruit some right-wing candidates like Mansur Yavaş in Ankara in the local elections to further its cause.
The opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has also proven as a weak right-wing political force and offers no prospects for eventually turning into a viable alternative to the AK Party.
The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) relies heavily on ethnicity and support from citizens of Kurdish origin who sympathize with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Its power base is only located in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
According to its supporters, the CHP offered a major challenge to the AK Party but all we saw throughout the campaign were insults and repeated claims of corruption and irregularities.
Yet, we didn't once hear CHP candidates talk about projects and innovative ideas in local government.
The CHP tried to capitalize on the allegations cooked up by the conservative Gülen Movement.
Yes, Erdoğan must take steps to turn Turkey into an advanced democracy, but when he has such an inept opposition, his task is doubled. The CHP and even the MHP have to get their acts together and create a democratic environment instead of remaining spectators to what the AK Party is doing in Turkey.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu spoke on Monday and said he has no intention of resigning. He can stay on but he has to realize that the CHP is no match for the AK Party and he must start questioning in earnest where he went wrong.
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