Close Menu
    Facebook Instagram LinkedIn
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • English
    • Français (French)
    Facebook Instagram LinkedIn
    Middle East Transparent
    • Home
    • Categories
      1. Headlines
      2. Features
      3. Commentary
      4. Magazine
      Featured
      Headlines Itai Melchior and Nir Boms

      Why al-Sharaa’s success in Syria is good for Israel and the US

      Recent
      3 July 2025

      Why al-Sharaa’s success in Syria is good for Israel and the US

      27 June 2025

      The Poisoned Chalice: President Trump’s Opportunity with Iran

      26 June 2025

      Post-Attack Assessment of the First 12 Days of Israeli and U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities

    • Contact us
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • English
    • Français (French)
    Middle East Transparent
    You are at:Home»Turkey’s tortoise democratic revolution

    Turkey’s tortoise democratic revolution

    0
    By Sarah Akel on 8 June 2015 Uncategorized

    It was no joke for millions of Turks who queued in front of ballot boxes at early hours of the day to cast their votes and determine the fate of their country, as well as that of the country’s absolute power-seeking president. Was President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the ballot? Was it a referendum on presidential powers?

    Neither Erdoğan was on the ballot nor was it a referendum on a set of constitutional amendments that might usher the era of super president in the country. Yet, the election was turned into a referendum whether the nation supported Erdoğan’s demand to endow the presidency with unprecedented executive powers that might comprehensively change the parliamentary governance system of the country into one with a presidential one with almost no checks and balances.

    Pre-election polls all showed that while the ruling Justice and Development Party would still be the first party and most likely would come to power for a fourth straight term while Turks were not at all enchanted with the idea of a super president and would deny the AKP the required majority to undertake the constitutional reforms demanded by Erdoğan.

    When this article is penned down vote count was still continuing. Yet, it became already apparent that the obvious losers of the poll were the ruling AKP and the main opposition republican Turks Party (CHP) while the winners were the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

    Is Turkey tilting towards nationalism? Was it because of such a tilt the Turkish and Kurdish nationalist parties advanced while the AKP and the CHP retreated? That is too early to discuss.

    Will the AKP be able to form the government alone for a fourth straight term? So sorry, but “the master is gone” and the “Hodja (Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu) has failed.” Was it that simple? Not unfortunately, Davutoğlu joined with a separate campaign by President Erdoğan who tried to secure sufficient strength for “his party” to elevate himself to his much wanted super president” or “Turkey’s Putin” position.

    Who failed than, Davutoğlu or Erdoğan? Of course the answer is clear, Davutoğlu is the absolute loser of this election but it was said well before the start of the election campaign anyhow that it was impossible for him to win. Why? Had he won sufficient number of seats to elevate Erdoğan to the position of “super president” Davuoğlu would become a lame duck, had he fail Erdoğan would sack him and continue with someone else. Now, what will Erdoğan do other than asking Davutoğlu to form a coalition government and forget about his grandiose hallucinations?

    The other bitter reality of this election was the fact that HDP painted with its own colors a large area of Turkey’s map. Irrespective how lous some people may scream “There is no Kurdish problem” it has become clear that there will be a Kurdish realty in Parliament with a very strong presence. If not listened to very carefully, the voice coming from southeast is indeed an alarm bell for the integrity of Turkey if the Kurdish issue is not resolved in a manner safeguarding strong enough national and territorial integrity while satisfying fundamental demands of the Kurdish people of this country.

    Right, Erdoğan was not a candidate. It was not a referendum on super presidency. But the Turkish people shouted strong enough for everyone to hear: I do not want presidential system. I do not want dictatorship. I want reconciliation. I want tolerance.

    What Turkey lived Sunday was a democratic revolution, yet one moving with tortoise speed.

    Hurriyet

    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email WhatsApp Copy Link
    Previous Articlelexus lx 570 2013 full option
    Next Article What Turkey’s Election Results Mean

    Comments are closed.

    RSS Recent post in french
    • Ce que nous attendons de vous, Monsieur le Président 3 July 2025 Michel Hajji Georgiou
    • Il faut être pour Nétanyahou lorsqu’il affaiblit la menace iranienne ; et ardemment contre lui lorsqu’il détruit Gaza 1 July 2025 Denis Charbit
    • En Syrie, la mystérieuse disparition du corps de Hafez el-Assad 11 June 2025 Apolline Convain
    • En Syrie, après les massacres d’alaouites, la difficulté de recueillir des témoignages : « Je n’ai pas confiance » 5 June 2025 Madjid Zerrouky
    • Guerre en Ukraine : Kiev démontre sa force de frappe en bombardant l’aviation russe avec ses drones, jusqu’en Sibérie 2 June 2025 Le Monde
    RSS Recent post in arabic
    • الاستدعاءات في لبنان: عودة “الروح العضومية” 4 July 2025 عمر حرقوص
    • ماذا يجري في مرفأ بيروت؟ 4 July 2025 خاص بالشفاف
    • دراسة استطلاعية: أحمد الصراف الكاتب الأكثر قراءة وتأثيراً في الكويت 3 July 2025 الشفّاف
    • والدة قائد بـ”الحرس” قتلته إسرائيل: إبني شارك في “تفخيخ” احتفالات الحكم البهلوي 3 July 2025 شفاف- خاص
    • ملف كازينو لبنان: توقيف رئيس مجلس الإدارة رولان الخوري؟ 2 July 2025 المدن
    26 February 2011

    Metransparent Preliminary Black List of Qaddafi’s Financial Aides Outside Libya

    6 December 2008

    Interview with Prof Hafiz Mohammad Saeed

    7 July 2009

    The messy state of the Hindu temples in Pakistan

    27 July 2009

    Sayed Mahmoud El Qemany Apeal to the World Conscience

    8 March 2022

    Russian Orthodox priests call for immediate end to war in Ukraine

    Recent Comments
    • Edward Ziadeh on Why al-Sharaa’s success in Syria is good for Israel and the US
    • Giant Squirrel on Holier Than Thou: Politics and the Pulpit in America
    • Edward Ziadeh on As Church awaits a Conclave, President Trump puts up picture of himself as next Pope
    • Victoria Perea on As Church awaits a Conclave, President Trump puts up picture of himself as next Pope
    • Victoria Perea on As Church awaits a Conclave, President Trump puts up picture of himself as next Pope
    Donate
    Donate
    © 2025 Middle East Transparent

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    loader

    Inscrivez-vous à la newsletter

    En vous inscrivant, vous acceptez nos conditions et notre politique de confidentialité.

    loader

    Subscribe to updates

    By signing up, you agree to our terms privacy policy agreement.

    loader

    اشترك في التحديثات

    بالتسجيل، فإنك توافق على شروطنا واتفاقية سياسة الخصوصية الخاصة بنا.