The past two months after the June 7 elections have again revealed that it is the opposition parties that block politics, intensify polarization in society and refuse to come to an agreement, not the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Not only are their relationships with the AK Party turbulent, but those among themselves are problematic as well. Although this is very unfortunate for Turkish politics, it remains crystal clear. The reason behind this is either that they largely embrace identity politics or they cannot employ realistic arguments. Not one of them is a Turkey party. Had opposition parties actively worked toward a solution, it would not have been like this after June 7, and Turkey's chief problems would have not remained unsolved.
It is also not very convincing that all of a sudden they have become consensus seekers. Take the CHP for example, as a party, which supposedly seeks a viable settlement, the CHP refused to give up two things: Taking a negative tone on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and constantly criticizing the policies of the AK Party that have been implemented during its 13-year tenure. With such a negative tone, of course, a coalition partnership cannot be formed.
If the CHP's priority were Turkey's interests and consensus, it would have left its negative tone aside and formed a new rhetoric so both parties could come to terms for a transitory reform government. Is there any logic behind why the CHP refused the AK Party's offer to form a reform government? The CHP has missed this historic chance because of its incompetence, and in the atmosphere of early elections the CHP may pay the price for its incompetence with an internal rift. The National Movement Party's (MHP) situation is not that different from the CHP's, either. Not only political analysts, but also its base so far has not been able to fully understand what the MHP is doing. Although the party's votes increased slightly on June 7, the MHP avoided taking responsibility, employed harsh rhetoric and bullied anyone outside of its whitelist.
The MHP, which initially approved then refused the snap elections option, did not want to form a coalition with any party and so far has become the pivot of political deadlock. It is becoming a common impression that this attitude of the MHP is obviously not a form of political ingenuity, but rather an outcome of the party's lack of vision. Especially the MHP's eager participation in the opposition's hate campaign against Erdoğan before June 7 illustrates this fact. It will be seen, however, what kind of effect this will create among moderate MHP voters in early elections.
Among the opposition parties, the Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) position might be the most desperate. First by its own hands, then with the pressure of the PKK leadership in northern Iraq's Qandil Mountains, the party has dragged itself out of all political equations. With its 13 percent support in the election, the HDP should have made everyone's life easier. But instead, unfortunately, the party signaled its self-destruction by constantly showing an unreasonable hostility toward the AK Party. The HDP's isolation has also been intensified by the MHP's reluctance to act together with the CHP and HDP. But the deathblow has come from the Qandil Mountains. When the HDP could not resist the PKK leadership's mandate, it lost all credibility in Turkish politics. Although the HDP's isolation is unfortunate, it shows that the party cannot produce realistic policies and its success entirely depends on perception management and conjectural developments.
It seems quite clear that the opposition parties' situation does not inspire hope. This is why Turkey needs the AK Party, which has formed the backbone of Turkish politics over the last 13 years. Despite the PKK's attacks, newly arisen challenges and perception management attempts in the media, the AK Party has so far successfully operated and eased Turkish society's concerns. Of course, surprises never end in politics, but it is most likely that there will be snap elections in October or November.
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Last Update: Aug 19, 2015 10:16 am
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