[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Turkey and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Turkey Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to turkey@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
English
Election Results and Coalition Scenarios
Psychological Barrier Bülent Keneş argues that the MHP’s fear of coming to power constitutes a psychological barrier to taking responsibility in a coalition government.
The AKP’s New Period and Abdullah Gül Cafer Solgun thinks that expectations that the AKP would enter a process of self-recrimination after the elections and Abdullah Gül would be the one to pioneer such a reform are in vain.
Why Erdoğan Would Prefer a Malfunctioning Coalition According to Amanda Paul, President Erdogan would rather want an incompetent coalition government in order to increase the chances of a strong one-party AKP rule in the next elections.
After Elections, Erdogan’s Shadow Still Looms (1) - (2) Semih İdiz claims that Erdoğan’s interests continue to dominate decisions regarding the built-up of a coalition government, while talking about the strengths and challenges of a now highly-diverse parliament.
This Is Our Principled Opposition Etyen Mahçupyan suggests that the CHP form a coalition with the AKP in order to evade early elections which might decrease its votes.
The Coalition Games Osman Can favors an AKP-CHP coalition as it might help overcome the heightened polarization in the country.
The AK Party and its Objectives Nagehan Alçı purports that the progressive path taken with regards to the Kurdish under AKP rule should not be retracted in a coalition government.
How To Stop Erdoğan Emre Uslu lists of political and judicial actions to put an end to the “parallel state” Erdogan allegedly controls.
Turkey’s Political Center Needs To Be Rebuilt Suat Kınıklıoğlu thinks the center politics devoid of strong left- or right-leaning tendencies need to be prominent again to avoid political instability.
Now Is the Test Time for Turkey`s Kurds According to Ilnur Cevik, the HDP has proven to be a viable political actor by gaining considerable support from the electorate, and therefore should aim to diminish the influence of arms in Kurdish politics.
One Day, We Will Thank Turkey’s Tayyip Ertugrul Ozkok lists the reasons why citizens should be “thankful” to Erdoğan for his term as the President.
Possibility of Early Elections Seyfettin Gursel argues that it is unlikely that the AKP would increase its vote in the event of an early election.
Two Illusions about Turkish Coalition Talks (1) - (2) According to Murat Yetkin, neither Baykal’s being elected speaker, nor the evading of the reopening of the corruptions files, is a must for a potential AKP-CHP coalition.
Talk to Erdoğan to Solve Coalition Problems Akif Beki reiterates some strategies to unblock the way to a coalition government with the issues of Erdoğan’s constitutional limits as the President and four former ministers involved in corruption allegations.
Conspiracy or Simple Immorality Etyen Mahçupyan blames German media for creating conspiracy theories about Erdoğan, while the President is taking a constructive approach that encourages building of a coalition.
A Potential Coalition Government and Foreign Policy According to Kılıç Buğra Kanat, accounts that foresee major changes in Turkey’s foreign policy fail to take into account the structural changes that have happened in thirteen years under AKP rule.
Post-Election Economic Scenarios Sadık Ünay discusses the future of the major economic transformation in the country, the foundations of which have been laid during the uninterrupted single party governments.
Kurdish Advance in Syria and Kobane Massacre
Changing Balances on the Border Beril Dedeoğlu writes about Turkey’s current foreign policy choices regarding the Kurds in Syria and ISIS.
Mutual Threats, Different Responses Doğu Ergil claims that the AKP government sees anything Islamist as fundamentally good and benign, whereas it retains a persistent suspicion of Kurds.
Polygamy Revival in Border Areas Nicole Pope discusses how the displacement of Syrians into Turkey’s borderlands has led many men to take Syrian women as second wives.
After Tell Abyad, What`s Next for PYD? Metin Gürcan describes how Kurdish gains in Syria are causing anxiety for the Turkish government, which “does not view the realities on the ground in Syria the way they are, but as how it wants them to be.”
Kurds Eye New Corridor to Mediterranean According to Fehim Taştekin, the possibility of further Kurdish gains in northern Syria is dependent on the cooperation of Arab and Turkmen populations in the area.
New Threat on the Southern Border Yahya Bostan asserts that the Kurdish expansion in northern Syria has attempted to displaced large populations of Arabs and Turkmens into Turkey as part of their effort to “demographically engineer” the region.
Turkey and the Refugees Tulu Gümüştekin suggests that the AKP’s efforts to accommodate Syrian refugees is proof that the Turkish government is not supporting ISIS forces in Northern Syria.
Turkey`s Desperate Syria Policy Gökhan Bacık argues that the AKP government’s efforts to preserve the unity of the Syrian state will be one of its most pernicious legacies.
What Will Turkey Lose in a War? Emre Uslu analyzes the potential domestic risks if Turkey goes to war with Syria.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Turkish GONGOs and Erdogan’s Plans According to Mümtazer Türköne, the proliferation of government-oriented NGOs in Turkey is part of Erdoğan’s plan to develop a civil society that operates under his tutelage.
Can PKK, Turkey`s Hezbollah Reconcile? Sibel Hürtaş writes about the post-election resurgence of violence between rival Kurdish factions in the southeast of Turkey.
Expect A Shift in Turkish Foreign Policy Soon Murat Yetkin asserts that the formation of a coalition government will lead to new stances on the EU, Syria, and regional politics at large.
Turkish
Election Results and Coalition Scenarios
Seçim sonrası HDP(1): Fırsatlar ve sıkıntılar… - (2) Hakan Aksay lists his hopes and suggestions of making the HDP an all-encompassing opposition alternative in Turkey, while accounting for the dynamic between the party and the Kurdish armed forces.
Toplumsal değişimi gören kazanacak Omer Faruk Gergerlioğlu argues that pro-AKP commentators fail to read the message of the elections results incorrectly, thereby strengthening the newly-emerged support for the HDP.
AKP, Erdoğan’ın AKP’si olmaktan vazgeçebilir mi?.. Patron artık Erdoğan değildir, diyebilir mi? (1) - (2) - (3) Hasan Cemal asks if the AKP is able to break its connnection to Erdoğan, and put an end to his prevailing influence over the party.
Etkili muhalefetten daha iyisi var! Filiz Koçali suggests a better alternative for the HDP is to be a part of the coalition with the CHP and the AKP, rather than staying in the opposition, to further the peace process.
Türkiye`de koalisyon ve istikrar Former Science, Industry and Technology Minister Nihat Ergün’s analysis of the election results on coalition scenarios and the need for a redefinition of the concept of political stability.
Gündem "büyük koalisyon", ibre AKP-CHP`ye dönüyor (1) - (2) Murat Yetkin thinks the leaning for an easy-to-build AKP-MHP coalition is changing to an AKP-CHP direction.
Yeni TBMM ve Türkiye`nin "kırmızı çizgisi"... (1) - (2) Cengiz Çandar asserts that the new parliament structure and regional dynamics dictate that Turkey gets rid of its categorical opposition to different forms of Kurdish politics.
HDP’den çok şey bekliyorum Korhan Gümüş thinks that HDP is the only party that can democratise politics, decentralize the centralized government, and enable the effective implementation of law in the country.
Bizler ırgatız, teröristiz, eşcinseliz, dindarız! Sizi efendi yaptırmayacağız! According to Murat Utkucu, the biggest achievement of the past elections was revealing the discriminatory and anti-democratic attitudes of the pious electorate, which has long claimed to be the oppressed social group.
Tabii ki devr-i sabık According to Cengiz Aktar, a coalition must be built in order to repair the damage that has been done by AKP rule, investigate the corruption allegations, and reevaluate the Syrian policy pursued thus far.
HDP`ye ayar vermek yerine, destek olmak Oya Baydar encourages HDP supporters to refrain from disappointment in the party but rather to support it as it puts its politics into practice.
7 Haziran`ın ardından hayaller, gerçekler Umut Özkırımlı argues that the saber-rattling and fear-mongering of nationalist and AKP-affiliated media are overlooking the political and practical post-election realities.
Hükümet senaryoları (2): AK Parti-CHP koalisyonu HDP’yi ‘solun en büyüğü’ yapabilir İhsan Dağı claims that while the CHP’s presence in a coalition may slow the AKP, it will also strengthen the HDP as an opposition party.
Tercih AKP-CHP`den yana ama… Lale Kemal examines the economic dimensions of potential coalition formations, stating that it would “be like a miracle for the AKP to return to those first years of stability” when it was first elected.
Koalisyon senaryoları According to Murat Birdal, regardless of the coalition that is formed, its first goal will be to facilitate an early election in Turkey.
AKP-MHP koalisyon olur mu? (1) - (2) - (3) Examining the potential coalition models and the events taking place in Parliament, İhsan Çaralan asserts that the government will likely be unable to address corruption, the Kurdish question, women’s issues, and regional reconciliation.
Halk bu meclisten ne bekler? Fatih Polat writes that the election results showed the Turkish population wants a resolution to issues of government corruption and a rejection of government support for jihadist groups in the larger Middle East.
HDP mi, AK Parti mi? Mümtaz’er Türköne claims that the HDP is coming into political prominence in the same way that the AKP did when it was first elected in 2002.
CHP AKP`nin kamuflajı mı olacak? Hüseyin Ali argues that any coalition formed with the AKP that does not contain a comprehensive democratization package will soon return to the pre-election political environment in which the AKP monopolized power.
Türkiye TBMM’de ‘birleşti’ koalisyonda ‘birleşebilir mi?’ Veysi Sarısözen writes that the election results have created a parliament that features the same kind of “foundationalism” of the very first session of parliament in 1921.
HDP, PKK, güdüm ve vesayet İbrahim Güçlü asserts that the HDP’s political stances and actions are determined by the PKK and that those expecting democratization will be disappointed.
7 Haziran’dan sonra Kürt siyaseti Mesut Yeğen argues that Öcalan will likely recognize the KCK and the HDP as the primary actors in Kurdish politics, transforming his role as the leader of the movement.
Erdoğan`ın sınavı H. Bahadır Türk argues that the AKP may try to reinvent itself by developing a political platform of “returning to its roots,” which would be revitalized under Erdoğan’s control.
Olaylı yeminden büyük olayın yeminine Calling the twenty-first century “the Kurds’ century,” Sedat Yurtdaş compares the controversies surrounding Leyla Zana’s speaking Kurdish during her parliamentary oath in 1991 with the oathtaking of the current parliament.
Kurdish Advance in Syria and Kobane Massacre
Tel Abyad, çözüm süreci ve ötesi Ünal Çeviköz asserts that the democratic values preached in the election, along with the Kurdish peace process, should be the guiding principles in the government’s stance on the events in Northern Syria.
Kobani: IŞİD niye saldırdı? Mete Çubukçu writes that the Islamic State attacked Kobane again primarily out of revenge, for psychological superiority, and to rebuild morale among its supporters.
Til Ebyad raporu M. Sinan Birdal claims that a recent report by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs about Tal Abyad is part of a public relations campaign rather than an actual diplomatic document, particularly because the PYD was not a part of the discussions that went into the report.
IŞİD’in beli Rakka’da mı kırılacak? Fehim Işık argues that, following the PYG’s liberation of Tal Abyad, Rakka is a strategic target that may be the key to overtake the Islamic State in the region.
Sınırda kâbus senaryosu Mustafa Edib Yılmaz asserts that a Turkish military intervention in Syria would destroy Turkey’s international legitimacy, drag the government into a prolonged conflict, and damage the Turkish lira’s value.
Hükümet Suriye`ye müdahale istiyor, asker çekiniyor Murat Yetkin describes the tensions between the government and the Turkish military regarding a potential intervention into Syria, which he finds particularly interesting as an AKP-CHP coalition is on the verge of being formed.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Merkez sağın Kemalizme sadık lideri Demirel Ümit Cizre profiles the late Süleyman Demirel, his stance on public secularism and private faith, and his war on left politics.
Remziye o gün dayaktan kurtulup kocasını öldürseydi Nevin gibi müebbet alacaktı Hürrem Sönmez examines the disparities between sentences for men who kill their wives and for women who kill their husbands, demonstrating the inherent patriarchy of the Turkish justice system.
Published on Jadaliyya
The Light Bulb and the Oak Tree: Politics of Space Meets the Ballot Box
First Thoughts on the Elections in Turkey: A Roundtable
Refugees in Turkey: Implications of Increasing Politicization
HDP’nin programina evet diyen muhafazakarlar, kadin, Alevi ve LGBTI’lerle esitlige de evet diyor