Turkey has embarked on a new era where a new system of governance is foreseen. This new freedom-based system is particularly designed to centralize the will of people and define every individual as a "citizen." In this respect, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's presidency can be regarded as a turning point. Since the former conception of the presidency, which was based on the concept of "the government against public" will be replaced with a new concept of the presidency. In this new concept of the president consolidates power purely from the will of the people. This is also a transformation of the mindset of governance.
Erdoğan as president is not the only a sign of this new era. The newly formed cabinet of the AK Party also unveils the intense nature of this transformation. The assignment of Ahmet Davutoğlu as the new prime minister and several minor changes in the cabinet attest to Erdoğan's projection of "continuity within change" and reveal what the new Turkey will be like. The assignment of Yalçın Akdoğan, Erdoğan's former chief advisor, as the new deputy prime minister shows that the new cabinet will be persistent on the reconciliation process and there will be a coherent interaction between the president and prime minister as well. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu as foreign minister promises an escalation in EU negotiations and a fresh momentum in relationships with the West.
Nevertheless, the following question inevitably comes to mind: how will we approach the new Turkey? There are three crucial challenges that should be met on this path. The most pressing one among these is to achieve a permanent solution to the Kurdish problem. Hence, for almost two years a successful program has been implemented regarding this matter. With the cooperation of Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK has been abstaining from violence and armed conflict and the dialog with the organization is being handled successfully. The implementation of this program will continue by the restoration of the counter-terrorism law, amnesty for PKK members who have not been involved in violence and relinquishing of firearms in the medium term.
The second crucial challenge is the formation process of the new constitution. Turkey deeply feels the lack of a legislative structure that can confront the latest transformation. Turkey is still implementing the constitution, although it has changed radically in the interim, which was dictated by the 1980 coup regime, whereas a new liberal, pluralist constitution can drastically refresh the political discourse of Turkey. Therefore, the formation process of the new constitution will be the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) top priority after the 2015 general elections. Past collaboration attempts with the Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) was proved futile. The past Constitution Commission that was formed in Parliament was suspended without any progress, but this time the AK Party will probably try to initiate a fresh formation process either on its own if possible, or by forming a new alliance with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
The third one is the fight against the parallel structure that has challenged the state and deeply infiltrated within the state by holding crucial positions. It is pretty obvious that there is a shadow organization within the judiciary and police and is known for their illegal wiretapping and espionage operations. The success that should be achieved in this particular fight against this organization, also known for the Dec. 17 and Dec. 25, still remains highly crucial in this new era.
Briefly, the period before the 2015 general elections can be regarded as the transition period for becoming familiar with the codes of the new Turkey. The transformation to the new Turkey, however, will be the most pre-eminent issue after the 2015 general elections. This transformation signifies the transition from old to new, from status quo to change and from guardianship to democracy. Those who perceive themselves as "Democrats" should be the sincere supporters and observers of this process.
