It is indeed the first time that an Islamic-rooted politician with a wife who wears a headscarf has become president in this staunchly secular country with a majority Muslim population. Ironically it was Gül who pioneered Turkey's accession talks to the EU. Atatürk established the Turkish Republic in 1923 out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, but since the creation of the nation citizens have been offered only an imitation of Western democracy rather than having their government truly internalize the Western democratic model in all of its institutions. This imitation of the Western model has also created a selfish secular elite in Turkey who ignored the concept that nations can only move forward when they become servants of their citizens. While dictating an artificial Western model, this selfish secular elite did not realize that the vital concept of secularism can only be internalized when coupled with democracy in which freedoms are provided across all segments of society.
Their methods, sometimes taking the form of a fear-based imposition of policy, neglected the real needs of the majority, such as access to education and healthcare. The people also seek leadership that will address their ethnic differences and encourage the view that such differences are the basis of cultural richness rather than elements of division.
Turkey's July 22 elections, in which almost 47 percent of the voters gave a second term to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has in a sense been a wake up call to the selfish secular elite that the time has come for the people to decide their own destiny. The remainder of the voters cast their votes for the ultra-nationalists, Kurds and secular elite, who took only about 20 percent of the vote.
One might say that the July 22 election results have for the first time created a parliament representing almost all segments of society. Finally Gül's election as president on Aug. 28, despite a last-minute military warning, has hinted at a new destiny for Turkey. Only time will tell whether this will be a destiny undermining the Turkish secular character or one in which secularism will be strengthened with democracy, creating a Turkey where current and future generations of Turks will be citizens of a country standing among the world's leading industrial nations.
The fact that 47 percent of voters have given a solid mandate to the ruling AK Party for further policies creating economic stability, to form a partnership with Europe, provide political solutions to the Kurdish problem and pursue a proactive foreign policy as well as continuation of domestic social policy to lessen the gap between rich and poor, has given me hope that the ruling party will carry Turkey into a brighter future. The opposite action, undermining the republic's secular character, will mean an end to Turkey's efforts to integrate with the outside world. Gül's oath ceremony was not attended by TSK representatives and some heads of top judicial organizations for the first time in Turkish history!
Gül renewed his earlier pledges that Çankaya Palace will be open to all during his tenure as president and that he will adhere to the secular character of the nation, reaching out to all segments of society. If Gül succeeds in fulfilling his pledges and if the ruling party, composed of both Islamist-rooted politicians, liberals and conservatives, live up to their election manifesto for reforms in all areas, then we as Turks will not have to worry about our future. Turkey's secularism can only become a full reality if it is based upon a democracy that addresses the real needs of the citizens rather than the creation of artificial agendas that have resulted in a great waste of time during the 84-year history of the republic.
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, president of the country's approximately 700,000 member Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) stated yesterday during an interview with television channel CNBC-E that Turkey has already lost more than eight months due to the political turmoil centered around the presidential elections and urged the government to begin its reforms quickly and prepare a new constitution that will pave the way to market-oriented competition. "The current constitution, dictated in 1982 by the military, is an obstacle to reform," Hisarcıklıoğlu said.
What Turkey needs is a strong political leadership with the courage and determination to carry Turkey into a better future. This is also the only way to forever end military interventions which have deterred Turkish citizens' growing desire to be treated as mature citizens who can choose their own leadership.
