Left failed the refugee issue
The greatest contribution the left can make to internationalism nowadays is to side with those taking steps to aid refugees
Recently, the public has been discussing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's announcement concerning granting citizenship to Syrian refugees.
The subject draws great attention since some 2.8 million Syrian refugees currently live in Turkey, according to official figures, while the number goes up to 3 million according to some independent sources.
Other than the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), all the parties in Parliament are against granting citizenship to Syrians.
The approach of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) does not contradict its raison d'etre; their response to the issue is more than expected. The MHP argues that Turkish citizenship should be a right that must not be acquired easily.
Nevertheless, the situation is a bit more complicated with regard to the other two parliamentary parties, the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). Both parties define themselves as on the left, so their anti-refugee discourses form an amorphous picture.
Also, some media outlets close to the opposition parties are publishing or broadcasting some manipulative materials suggesting that the Syrians who are to have Turkish citizenship will naturally become the electorate of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). This is a completely essentialist approach. First of all, no data reflecting the political views of Syrian refugees is yet available. Second, the political tendencies of future citizens are a matter for fortune telling.
The public is confused due to this campaign,. According to surveys, the rate of those against granting citizenship to Syrian refugees is high.
However, the political success of Erdoğan, the originator of this project, stems from his dexterity in changing public reflexes.
Erdoğan has so far managed to persuade the public on various critical issues, including constitutional amendments and the reconciliation process that was kicked off in 2013 to disarm the PKK.
Meanwhile, it is quite strange that the EU, which is directly influenced by the mobilization of Syrian refugees, has remained indifferent to the formula the Turkish state recently developed with regard to the refugee issue.
If Turkey can implement the citizenship project properly, Syrians will stay at their first immigration stop and stop heading to Europe.
Also, the southern borders of the EU will be in a more sterile condition.
However, the leading political structures in the EU are now wasting their time and energy on tales of guerilla romanticism remaining from the previous century instead of focusing on the refugee issue, which caused them to lose one of their greatest partners, Britain.
The left in Europe is very close to some groups, such as the Syria-based Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Turkey officially considers to be a terrorist group. They justify their relations to such groups with internationalism, citing that the PYD is a secular group.
However, the greatest contribution the left can make to internationalism nowadays is to side with those taking steps for refugees and exclude groups affiliated with terrorism, which trigger regional chaos and cause demographic movements.
The left-wing electorate in Europe and Turkey should recover and mentor left-wing parties inflicted with a childhood disease.
The subject draws great attention since some 2.8 million Syrian refugees currently live in Turkey, according to official figures, while the number goes up to 3 million according to some independent sources.
Other than the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), all the parties in Parliament are against granting citizenship to Syrians.
The approach of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) does not contradict its raison d'etre; their response to the issue is more than expected. The MHP argues that Turkish citizenship should be a right that must not be acquired easily.
Nevertheless, the situation is a bit more complicated with regard to the other two parliamentary parties, the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). Both parties define themselves as on the left, so their anti-refugee discourses form an amorphous picture.
Also, some media outlets close to the opposition parties are publishing or broadcasting some manipulative materials suggesting that the Syrians who are to have Turkish citizenship will naturally become the electorate of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). This is a completely essentialist approach. First of all, no data reflecting the political views of Syrian refugees is yet available. Second, the political tendencies of future citizens are a matter for fortune telling.
The public is confused due to this campaign,. According to surveys, the rate of those against granting citizenship to Syrian refugees is high.
However, the political success of Erdoğan, the originator of this project, stems from his dexterity in changing public reflexes.
Erdoğan has so far managed to persuade the public on various critical issues, including constitutional amendments and the reconciliation process that was kicked off in 2013 to disarm the PKK.
Meanwhile, it is quite strange that the EU, which is directly influenced by the mobilization of Syrian refugees, has remained indifferent to the formula the Turkish state recently developed with regard to the refugee issue.
If Turkey can implement the citizenship project properly, Syrians will stay at their first immigration stop and stop heading to Europe.
Also, the southern borders of the EU will be in a more sterile condition.
However, the leading political structures in the EU are now wasting their time and energy on tales of guerilla romanticism remaining from the previous century instead of focusing on the refugee issue, which caused them to lose one of their greatest partners, Britain.
The left in Europe is very close to some groups, such as the Syria-based Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Turkey officially considers to be a terrorist group. They justify their relations to such groups with internationalism, citing that the PYD is a secular group.
However, the greatest contribution the left can make to internationalism nowadays is to side with those taking steps for refugees and exclude groups affiliated with terrorism, which trigger regional chaos and cause demographic movements.
The left-wing electorate in Europe and Turkey should recover and mentor left-wing parties inflicted with a childhood disease.