We should hereby acknowledge that the AK Party’s increasing public support to 47 percent after its 2002 arrival in power at 34 percent -- let alone being worn out in power -- is a success difficult to come by in Turkish political life. Therefore it’s no wonder that this success attracted global attention. Moreover, this success is highlighted particularly well by the CHP’s defeat in spite of various anti-democratic and illegal interventions, the republic rallies held by agitating the sensitivities of the mobilized segments of society, the great support of the media, the state’s pro-status-quo elements’ blatant support and its initial alliance with the New Turkey Party (YTP) and the Democratic Left Party (DSP).
Furthermore the AK Party had a great victory not only against the CHP, which assumed the guardianship of the system, but also against the Democratic Society Party (DTP), which engages in politics based on ethnicity, thereby establishing a monopoly on the will of Kurdish voters. Succeeding in receiving far more votes from all of Turkey’s regions, all ethnic and religious groups and from all social classes than any other party seemingly closer to them, the AK Party appears to have firmly placed itself in the center of the political spectrum in terms of representing Turkey. With this quality it takes on a clearer importance as the sole place where national unity and integrity become manifest.
At this point everybody should be able to analyze the election results and the message of the voters. There is no doubt that those who fail to receive this message, who overlook it or don’t care one jot about it are bound to lose in the next term as well. I would like to make a humble contribution to these analytical efforts by trying to decipher both what people wanted to say with the ballots they cast and to whom they wanted it said:
To the AK Party: Although you may have made some tiny mistakes during your four-and-a-half-year term in power, you did not frustrate the public support given to you in 2002. While you sometimes deviated from the best path, you have always taken the side of the people against the imposing bureaucratic state. Your continuous contact with people turned out to be the only guarantee of your success. In return I will always back you against all kinds of impositions, ugly trickeries and anti-democratic pressures and interventions so long as you are respectful toward people’s values and sensitive to their expectations.
To the CHP: You have never shied away from dividing society as you covet power. You always played games of tension and polarization. You have ruthlessly exploited and abused society’s common values such as “secularism” and “republic” for your petty political goals. You have always taken sides with the statist elite against the people and with the appointed against the elected. You have always raised fears of threats to democracy and liberty. You never wanted to understand that security and stability could be achieved only by more respect for differences. Instead of protecting democracy you invited and supported anti-democratic interventions. You thought that the leftist votes would gather in your backyard through the policy of polarization, but you were mistaken. You underestimated people, us, and therefore defied us. I hope you are not so “illogical” as to underestimate our message.
To the old center right: By boycotting Parliament in the presidential elections you ran counter to your tradition of always supporting people and democracy. You denied your identity and your roots by backing those who attempted to repress the people’s will. You yielded before anti-democratic pressures and forgot that one day you would be accountable to the people. You tried to deceive me through artificial mergers. I’m canceling all the credits I have so far given you and giving them to those who respect me. I’m erasing you from history.
To the military: We are eternally respectful toward you as an institution that emerged from the heart of this country and because of your contributions to the country’s security. On the other hand it’s our most natural right to expect you to respect the democratic representation that is the manifestation of our will. From now on be respectful toward the values, will and expectations of the people to whom you own your existence. Don’t forget -- you exist for the people, not to oppose them.
To the media: Pull yourself together. Emerge from behind the glass wall you yourself created and come to grips with how real life works. Revise your editorial staff and columnists, diversify them. Stop acting like the headquarters of a particular ideology. You should share the experiences of society so you will not be as surprised and shocked by the results of the next elections as you were this time.
To the neo-nationalists: You cannot get anywhere with paranoia. You cannot cover any distance with fears. We are not afraid of globalization or foreign capital, even though you try to instill these fears in us. You failed to convince us that our country and neighbors are full of enemies. We’ve had enough of the scenarios of division and disintegration and the fascist tendencies. Take the gangs you formed under the idea of saving the homeland and your belligerent statements that trigger social enmities and get lost!
To the DTP: The policy of separatism you tried to instill among brothers, basing your attempts on ethnic lines, has collapsed. Kurds’ expectations are to be treated as real human beings and to live a human life just like our Turkish brothers. Our sole expectation is to share a life in this country with peace, freedom and welfare. We are no different from the rest of the country. I have respect and support for he who respects and supports me. As you see, we no longer tolerate separatism and ethnic politics.
