I see changes in certain subjects at which I have leveled criticism, especially since the formation of the the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Let me clarify four main topics here: 1. Maturity. When asked what he felt on the 10th anniversary of the February 28 process, Prime Minister Erdoğan said: “I don’t want to get tangled up in what happened yesterday. As Mevlana said, ‘Yesterday was yesterday, and now the time has come to look forward, we need to talk about tomorrow’.”
Hearing this approach from Erdoğan made me more than happy because he himself was one of those most mistreated during this period. Because of a piece of poetry he read, Erdoğan was removed from his position as mayor of Istanbul and sent to prison. For him to decide to speak about the future with the authority vested in him as a result of his current office, rather than carrying on with debates about yesterday, suggests a stance befitting a real statesman.
Yes, there are those who are suggesting other things. There are those who want some more accounting for that time period to be done. But is the right thing to do during a pre-election period to stir up the ashes of yesterday, preparing the foundation for likely provocations? Or to help ensure the foundation is firmly in place, there is a separation of powers and that the EU accession process is moving along unimpeded?
2. Decisiveness. In regards to comments about whether or not there should be talks with the northern Iraqi leadership made by Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt during his trip to the US, Prime Minister Erdoğan responded with absolute decisiveness. “General Büyükanıt’s statements were personal and not reflecting the institution. When institutional statements of this type are made, they create chaos. In terms of the last word on this matter, it lies with the institution of the government.” He underscored that the coming period will be the era of initiatives deriving from civilian will.
3. Grace of manner. His answers to questions about the upcoming presidential elections were an example of a new manner used by Erdoğan. Erdogan noted that taking into consideration the bellwether convictions of society at large, as well as of AK Party bedrock voters and its MPs, that the AK Party would be able to reach a consensus on the coming election’s candidate.
“The AK Party will put forth a president from inside this Parliament who will strengthen the ties of unity, love and brotherhood and will be able to be at one with the people of the country.” Meanwhile, Erdoğan’s notation that the next president will in fact come from this Parliament have put a rest to debates on this particular angle of the subject.
4. Wide embrace. When the AK Party was being formed, a new understanding and approach to politics was also being demonstrated. A party capable of being in the center and of embracing a wide political spectrum was being set up. But it did not turn out quite this way. I don’t want to dredge up my criticisms on this subject again. But even Prime Minister Erdoğan has accepted that this is not what wound up happening in the end.
The AK Party is, however, decisive that such a platform will take place in the new period ahead. The AK Party has already asserted that it will have more female MPs running in the next general elections. They have vowed to head to the Parliament with a young cadre in tow, with MPs between the ages of 25-30 as a part of their faction.
Most important was this promise from Erdoğan: “We will make renewed efforts to ensure our team does not have any radical sides to it. We are currently trying to draw people from the center right and center left into our party; it is enough that they accept our party’s basic principles.”
What the AK Party wants is to strengthen social expectations of dialogue and tolerance through the route of politics itself while setting out a new approach to and understand of politics. Politics needs to stop being a platform for fights. What Turkey needs is development in a framework of stability, to be a prosperous society and to walk alongside the world in freedom and security. And within this, we also need love each other more, listen and try to understand each other more and to embrace a culture of reconciliation. Right now, the opportunity to achieve all this lies in the hands of the AK Party.
