Erdogan regime tumbles towards abyss with rise of Turkish opposition

Shaimaa Yahya

“The crisis that Ankara is going through is a crisis of governance and democracy. The Turkish people live in an era of subordination to the presidential palace, and the Turkish economy is in a difficult situation and is in danger because of the alliance with Qatar,” said People’s Republican Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroglu during the opposition party’s 37th conference, sharply criticizing the Turkish regime and the transformations that have taken place in political life.

Criticizing the regime

The popularity of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has witnessed a noticeable decline recently, while attacks against him and criticism toward the situation in Turkey have intensified due to Erdogan’s policies, as the Turkish president has destroyed the country’s economy because of his alliances.

Signs of decline

There have been many signs of the AKP’s decline in popularity. The Turkish parliament has 600 members, including 350 from the ruling AKP and its alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), meaning the AKP represents more than 50% of the parliament. Despite this, polls conducted in June by the research institute Metropoll in Ankara regarding votes in any upcoming parliamentary elections revealed that the AKP’s support is at 30%, while the opposition party is at 24%. Over the past 18 years, Turkey’s largest opposition parties have narrowed the gap with the ruling AKP to just 6 points.

On the economic level, the size of the country’s debts amounts to 1.6 trillion Turkish lira, while its foreign problems relate to Ankara’s dealing with the policies of other states like Qatar, such as its vision regarding the conflict in Libya, its support for jihadist movements, and its purchase of shares in Turkish military factories.

Fascist

Kılıçdaroglu called for the adoption of a new constitution in the country based on the principles of parliamentary democracy, considering the constitutional changes after the 2017 referendum, which led to the current presidential system of governance, to have been the cause of weakening the democratic checks and balances and weakening the parliament and judiciary.

“We need a new constitution that defines freedom, transparency, accountability and the rule of law as a basic principle, and focuses on parliamentary democracy that organizes the electoral system on the basis of more comprehensive representation, in addition to an understanding of the state that is not repressive, but a state that includes society in the decision-making process, makes efforts to ensure social justice, and takes pride in taking into account its interest and support for citizens,” Kılıçdaroglu said.

The opposition leader blamed the Turkish government’s corruption as a result of economic instability, waste of resources, and an unfair distribution of income, which led to poor productivity, as well as the Turkish people’s experience of an era of subordination of the judiciary to the presidential palace and the authoritarian rule of one man monopolizing all state institutions.

Constitutional amendments in 2017 granted Erdogan many powers that previously belonged to the parliament, including the right to adopt laws that serve his own personal interests and the ability to restrict important institutions in the country, in addition to giving him deeper control over financial matters and preferential treatment. After the position of prime minister was abolished, the president gained the power to form and organize ministries, to dismiss public officials, and to abolish the parliament’s role without referring to it.

Domestic conflict

Strong domestic conflicts have since erupted in Turkey, leading to the outbreak and escalation of various crises. The AKP caused an imbalance of power within the existing party equation in Turkey, not due to its own strength, but related to the opposition party. The AKP also suffered from structural problems in light of three internal currents struggling over the leadership of the party and the control of Turkish foreign policy, and even due to local politics. The recent resignation of Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu serves as evidence of this, clarifying some aspects of the internal struggles facing the ruling party.

On the other hand, the opposition parties have faced many challenges in recent years, and they have had to play roles that were not assigned to them, such as with regard to human rights and domestic and foreign political conditions. This has resulted in the emergence of new leaders who have been able to play important roles, and perhaps even inspiring leaders within the ruling AKP. After the recent local elections, the ruling party witnessed the departure of multiple party members and the formation of new opposition parties.