In a country where a cup of coffee costs 75, salep 120, and a slice of baklava 103 liras, there has been a prolonged debate about the 50+1 rule. If there were a true opposition in the country, this topic would have been closed before it even opened. The AKP+MHP coalition, far from passing constitutional changes in the Parliament (requiring 400 votes), cannot even approach the referendum threshold (360 votes).
All 600 members of the 600-seat parliament know that the aim is not merely to ‘eat grapes’.
Regrettably, the parties that appear as opposition have exploited the desire of at least half of the society to get rid of Erdoğan, and have settled into a comfortable political space.
Of course, someone in good health and age would not think about an election five years later. Of course, the “main goal” for the person who obtained the right to run for the “third time” in 2023 without any opposition resistance is not this. He knows that he does not have the power to make a constitution in the Parliament and that he needs 50+1 in a referendum even if he gets 360 votes.
Moreover, there is no longer an “opposition bloc” left for him to divide.
Or is he tired of the alliance?
First of all, no leader wants to share their power. Especially if we are talking about someone like Erdoğan… He is stuck with someone he has exchanged severe insults with, and neither side is happy. However, they are dependent on and obligated to each other.
With 264 seats, the AKP is a minority in the Parliament and would be incapacitated without a coalition partner.
The Palace has rendered the Parliament ineffective since 2014. If it could, it would further neutralize it, but it has not yet succeeded. If you read the Constitution carefully, you will see that even in the current system, if it loses the majority, roles change.
Despotism becomes difficult.
In fact, Bahçeli did not burn bridges with the alliance; he drew the line. Erdoğan, through his chief advisor Mehmet Uçum, announced that he received the message: “The People’s Alliance is not an ordinary party or election alliance. It is Turkey’s alliance of survival.” (November 21, 2023)
For years, Bahçeli, who appears once a week and spends the rest of his time at home, and Erdoğan, who is on his last legs, continue to set the agenda in Turkey despite all the scandals and policies that have brought the country to its knees. No matter how much it is lamented, it is not enough.
“But Erdoğan said he would run for the last time on December 10, 2022.”
Has he not gone back on his word before? You will get past this.
It became evident in 2019 that local elections alone are not a measure…
I don’t know if there is any enthusiasm left for 2024.
Look:
- Sedat Peker, who said he sent “bags of money”…
- Former AKP Deputy Feyzi İşbaşaran, who was beaten in the police station where he was detained…
- Occasionally cutting a figure within the party…
For example, the instigator of the team that surrounded Hürriyet newspaper in September 2015, Metin Külünk, has announced his candidacy for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
“I was commanded to set out,” he says.
Good luck to him.
The measure for the opposition is this: Are you working harder than the last election, have you fixed yesterday’s shortcomings?
There is a saying by Bahçeli that should be underlined: “Your bird brains are not capable of cracking the People.” (November 21, 2023)
You may take it personally. Bahçeli further says, “Throughout our political life, we have never ridden on anyone’s back, nor have we allowed anyone on ours.”
In this case, the question to be asked is: Which donkey is carrying the two partners.
