Next month, Turkish voters will go to the polls on a major constitutional referendum aimed to give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan virtually unchecked power as president, and dramatically reducing the historical power of parliament.
Recent polls have shown strong opposition to the measure, to the point that Erdogan has “asked” organizations to stop conducting polls at least through the end of March. They’re also looking for a scapegoat to blame for potential defeat, and the Erdogan government says that it’s Germany that’s behind the opposition.
Several cities in Germany made moves to block planned Turkish rallies in favor of the referendum in their cities, which led Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to claim that Germany “wants to get in the way of a strong Turkey.” German officials insisted the decisions were made at a state or local level, and were centered on security concerns.
President Erdogan can never just be displeased with something without going off on a tirade, of course, which led him to also claim recently detained reported Deniz Yucel, a German citizen, is a “German agent” as well as a terrorist working for the Kurdish PKK.
Yucel is being charged with “propaganda in support of a terrorist organization” for media reports based on WikiLeaks-published emails. The detention of private reporters is increasingly common in Turkey under Erdogan, which has led to the nationalization of Turkish media outlets seen as insufficiently pro-government, pretty much always on claims of terrorism.
It took Americans a very long time to learn that the Japanese dislike saying “no” but are not saying “yes” when they temporize. It is a thing of language and culture.
The same is true with Erdogan, in the opposite way. He comes from a language and culture of hyperbolic overstatement, and rhetorical flourishes that translate as simply foolish but are quite the norm there.
Yes, Erdogan presents many problems, but we can’t understand them if we misunderstand the cultural and language conventions with which the whole country and region express themselves.
We need some of the education we got so slowly about Japan.
Thank for making that point. I would also add that western culture has its norms as well. This article being an example of virtue signaling on “historic role” of parliament, virtually unschekled power of president, virtuous media. What have Americans just srarted to grasp is the role of various deep state actors, and their brazen insiststance of taking over and controling some cunctions of presidency. Foreign policy for example. In Turke, since fifties, deep state im edded in military very brutally and unappologetically toppled civilian govudrnments. Then In nineties, new forms of control took over. NGO, media controled by Soros/Gulen foundations, bought and paid for judges, prosecutors, universities, police, military. It was a paralel state living in virtual and presumably virtuous reality that most people saw through. The vaunted parliamentary system was to legitimize the takeover of government, but it did not work. It happened in August 2015 when Erdogsn ran for president and Davutovlu became acting prime minister. With repeated elections, he became permanent. Deep state struck, shooting down Russian plane, cutting deal with EU on refugees, visa free regime with Germany. All attempts at marginalizing the power of ruling party, and tempting Turkish public with “visa free” travel to Germany temptation did not fall for it. It came with 72 conditions, like “democracy”, as defined by Soros. Davutoglu government fell in May 2016, and the new government in two days restored relationship with Russia and altered Syria policy. At the root of the disagreement between the West and Turkey lies the control. Western geopolitical approach is full control — and in the case of Turkey it was not possible. Turkey had to turn East for trade and energy. Turkey’s retail and construction business is all over Russia, Azerbaijan. Energy dealscwith Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan are critical, and so is the wheat import from Russia. Soros/Gulen pair worked on disrupting growing trade with Russiia, Central Asia and China. It is unfortunarte that the Western concept still rests on ideas of block mentality in trade and development. It does not work for Turkey — no matter how much we deride Erdogan. His opening up to the East resulted in massive change in delelopment of Anatolia, and rise of living standards. But the fall of Davutoglu government, and assergion of Erdogan’s policies resulted in a blitzkrieg style attemted coup — aimed at decapitating the top governing bodies — the President and the Government. Its failure resulted in an open attack on all aspects of the deep state, and parallell governance. I am more concerned at this point about our own inflexibility to understand the limits and temporal value of all institutions. There is nothing sacred about a parliament based governance if it results in permanent instability.
US has been well served by a presidential form of governance, but it has also seen many a changes in how it operates, chiefly fue to political gridlock.
Turkey cannot sustain the parliamentary methods of governance as there are too many and continuous efforts to place it “under control” and make it obey political, economic and social straight jackets defined and enforced by the collective called the West. Turkey only demands economic freedom, and good relationships with neighborhood. The attack on Syria ended any sort of pretence, and now, Turkey is attemting to fashion governance in line with its economic interest. And to do that, more power needs to shift to presidency and less power with political parties. With president now being elected directly, there is no reason for leaving too much power in the hands of parliamentary political barganing. The on going attempts from the Western castle is to bellittle Erdogan, and portray the political changes there in the simplistic garbe of good vs evil. Good “free” press, vs. dictator Erdogan. And when attempting to pass a law allowing women to wear scarfs at University — something we take for granted here — he is being portrayed as “islamist”. We tend to describe everything in this mythological struggle of good vs evil, and as a rule, us — our mythical West — being the fount of wisdom.
Turkey did not place sanctions on Russia — as it cannot undermine its own economy. Yet, the collective West is still assuring us, still hoping, that contrary to anything that may be good for Turkey, it will be bludgeoned to accept “the right way”, that is — our ferms and conditions. And all that in the wholesome language of our concern for theirbown good.
What is not yet dawning in the land od fortress West, that the moat is not holding. Little by little countries (those that are not globalized yet) — seek their economic development, and are not interested in the rewards in heaven for faithfully, albeit hungry, propping up the most walls. And after 6 trillion sunk in the Middle East, the standard bearer of the West, is rethinking the situation. Just rethinking. It could result in cutting back — or even digging deeper. Either way, for a country like Turkey, the time has come to seek stability above all. And it will motivate all they do. They were on a verge of disaster, with new Kosovo-style states being carved out of the carcass of Syria and Iraq. The states designed to cut Turkey off from the Middle East for all future development. They did not look forward to paying the toll to the new order to partake in the trade and infrastructure work in the region. The changes in Turkey are forced by the pressure from the outside, and the forces of economic inevitabilies from Eurasian region to which Turkey belongs.
A strong Turkey means a strongman, I suppose.
Strong Russia is strong man’s product.
Remember,Crumbled Soviet Union and Look at the Russia now,do you think this is not product of Putin ( strong man) ?
Compare the George W.Bush destroyed bankrupted USA although he had all the power,couldn’t even speak proper English.
Turkey enemies all over the place.
Strong Turkey against western national interest so keeping fighting Turkey with PKK and other Terrorist is national interest of Germans, UK ,Americans and other puppies if these Nations.
PKK is terrorist organisation,but Germany welcomes these Terrorist.
Double standard us the roots of the western countries problems,so how we can not discribe it is Christian / Muslem war,if it is not then what is it then?