Turkey’s opposition record


Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) recently said, "We have to start a new national war of liberation... If this process accelerates, people's right to resist will be evoked..." In a speech he made, he said "everything" was getting worse, and came to certain conclusions by taking the facts out of their context in an opportunistic way. Turkey witnessed acts of destructive vandalism between Oct. 6 and 8, when some 51 citizens were killed. Thousands of buildings were set on fire and torn down. People were thrown from rooftops. Citizens complained that the state could not protect them effectually, particularly in the southeast. Meanwhile, it was alleged that some officials within the police department who are affiliated with the parallel state were involved in provocative acts, stirring up the public to revolt rather than effectively containing the incidents.Subsequently, due to the pressing need to overcome the weaknesses in police responses to street violence and to enable faster and more effective intervention facilities, a security law was brought before Parliament. Harsher penalties were suggested for the use of Molotov cocktails, which are forbidden in countries around the world. CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu made an opportunistic speech and called for people to revolt in the streets, as if the above-mentioned aspects of the incident did not exist and the regulation was being considered for no reason. Likewise, another call from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) triggered the Oct. 6-8 incidents. The HDP organized this riot by using the Kobani siege as an excuse. Their claim was based on disinformation, which suggested that Turkey was supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). However, Kobani was saved from the ISIS siege thanks to Turkey's provision of a transfer line to peshmerga forces on its own territories, for which a parliamentary decision was required. The HDP, which accused the government of supporting ISIS, voted against this decision. Yes, you have read it right. The motion passed thanks to the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) votes, while the HDP used negative votes just like the CHP and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).This attitude of the opposition might seem contradictory to those who are not very familiar with the context, and in fact it really is contradictory. It is not usual for civilian politics to enthusiastically call people to take to the streets and adopt a stance against the government even on those occasions that it would favour the nation. The CHP and MHP are the parties of the former Turkey and so they wish the re-establishment of the former bureaucratic state regime. It is not comfortable for them to exist in their current positions in the new Turkey, since Turkey has been democratized and its state apparatuses are now ruled with public will. Rather than offering the government constructive criticism, underlining its mistakes and deficiencies, or developing new projects to help take the country forward, they instead display categorical resistance.Consequently, the public does not grant them the majority of seats that would enable them to come to power. Moreover, Kılıçdaroğlu's popularity dropped to 13 percent, while the MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli's popularity decreased to 10 percent. Kılıçdaroğlu recently confessed to a columnist promoting the CHP that they do not have any hopes regarding the upcoming election. And the HDP often finds itself in a contradictory position since it is under the control of Qandil, the headquarters of the Kurdish movement. Qandil is not pleased with the latest phase that has been reached regarding the laying down of arms. Unlike their imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, Qandil wants to carry the negotiations further and aims at political autonomy and even a federation. For this reason, they do not miss any chance to create crises in order to reformat the current process.So these forces are inclined to ally with each other for the following election. It is disputable whether this alliance can be recognized as a political act, but it is certain that it is not based on public support since around 90 percent of Kurds support the reconciliation process. The CHP grassroots are tired of being defeated in every election. And it is dubious what the political motivation of the nationalist MHP would be if the PKK lays down arms. For all these reasons, the election that is to be held on June 7 is of critical importance for Turkey. Such anti-politics will undergo its last test. Their only hope was to stir up chaos or a crisis in the government, a method which cannot be considered proper politics.