13 March 2010 / ENGİN ARDIÇ SABAH,
When the Republican People’s Party (CHP) failed to enter Parliament in 1999, this was largely attributed to the “[Bülent] Ecevit factor” and also to the voters’ wrongly believing that Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] was apprehended by Ecevit in 1999.
These misconceptions were translated into strong support for Ecevit’s party two months after Öcalan’s capture. Today, there is no one who can challenge Baykal in such a way and even the most optimistic supporters of [Mustafa] Sarıgül believe that they can only steal up to 3 percent of the votes of the CHP. Actually, the CHP is in its heyday these days. It has boosted its votes from 21 to 23 percent. This is an achievement, and it betrays itself. Indeed, there are numerous poor voters who would cast their votes for the CHP unwillingly and dragging their heels, but feeling they have to, and [Deniz] Baykal already trusts them. Hell would freeze over before these core voters would leave the CHP. Thus, the CHP will neither succeed nor fail completely. Even being ahead of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) by a small margin is a success for this party. Entering Parliament and establishing a parliamentary group is sufficient for Baykal and his men.
