Turkish Politics |
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Why doesn´t the AKP lose any votes?
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1. |
29 Nov 2013 Fri 10:29 am |
We need to ask this question if we are to take any seriously the claim that the ruling party has been lifting freedoms and establishing an authoritarian rule that is bordering on a totalitarian regime during the last few years. It´s hard to suggest that Turkish society, particularly the pious people .. would be happy with totalitarian rule. Rather, all field studies imply that Turkey´s religious people are showing progress in the opposite direction. Their consumption habits are converging with those of the secular groups with a shift to modern preferences in their approach to children and education, and their desire for increased integration with the world can be strongly felt. To this, we can add the fact that they acknowledge universal norms relating to rights and freedoms and they clearly voice their eagerness to have a Europe-like democracy. For instance, the studies concerning the Gezi Park protests indicate that Anatolia´s emerging middle class did not approve of the prime minister´s approach to these protests and the members of this class are concerned about the police violence and support increased participation in local decisions. Indeed, we know that the popularity rate of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suffered steep decline in this process.
However, this has not translated into a drop in the ruling Justice and Development Party´s (AKP) electoral support. Moreover, Erdoğan´s popularity was quickly restored to its previous level after the incidents. In other words, the public does not penalize the prime minister for his errors. On the surface, the reason for this is the lack of any serious opposition party in the country. .. Thus, it will take at least 10 years before any opposition movement emerges from the secular camp and proves itself as a worthwhile option.
Yet, the Erdoğan "phenomenon" does not feed solely on the weaknesses of the opposition. Erdoğan personally has a unique quality: authenticity. Society knows prime minister and his concerns, worries, weaknesses, views and dreams. ..
Thus, as long as the AKP and Erdoğan move in this direction, their errors are insignificant. Actually, Erdoğan even manages to boost his popularity by backpedaling from his errors as this is perceived as evidence of the prime minister´s sticking to democratic values despite his advertised mentality and moral codes.
It is possible to suggest that .... Erdoğan knows this atmosphere of freedoms is the bricks and mortar of his ruling party. ...
Therefore, Erdoğan´s ability to keep in touch with society and continue to represent that society despite his errors is the main reason why there has been no decline in support for the AKP. Therefore, an opposition movement that solely focuses on Erdoğan´s errors does not have any chance.
source:http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/etyen-mahcupyan_332627_why-doesnt-the-akp-lose-any-votes.html
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30 Nov 2013 Sat 04:40 pm |
Erdoğan even manages to boost his popularity by backpedaling from his errors as this is perceived as evidence of the prime minister´s sticking to democratic values despite his advertised mentality and moral codes.
For some reason I don´t see Erdogan as sophisticated enough for that, I also don´t think that democracy is a value to him. I think that he is a religious person who wouldn´t have any issue with forcing everyone to be like him and in fact, he believes that those who are not like him, will burn in hell.
I am curious about what evidence you have to say that he stuck to democratic values?
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01 Dec 2013 Sun 07:10 pm |
Erdoğan even manages to boost his popularity by backpedaling from his errors as this is perceived as evidence of the prime minister´s sticking to democratic values despite his advertised mentality and moral codes.
For some reason I don´t see Erdogan as sophisticated enough for that, I also don´t think that democracy is a value to him. I think that he is a religious person who wouldn´t have any issue with forcing everyone to be like him and in fact, he believes that those who are not like him, will burn in hell.
I am curious about what evidence you have to say that he stuck to democratic values?
I never said that "the PM is sticking the democratic values". I completely agree with you about Erdogan´s opinion of democracy. I dont think he is a person who wants to bring the democracy to everybody.
His party and Erdogan saw the democracy as a way for freedom for themselves. That was the main reason why his party implemented many regulations/reforms in accordance with EU. We all benefited from those reforms and changes. But in my view, we need more reforms and that will never happen with his party.
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02 Dec 2013 Mon 05:51 am |
We all benefited from those reforms and changes. But in my view, we need more reforms and that will never happen with his party.
Exactly, but as you said, they won´t happen if they don´t benefit these specific people. So they don´t really aim for democracy, but their own despotic rule.
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04 Dec 2013 Wed 10:34 am |
Exactly, but as you said, they won´t happen if they don´t benefit these specific people. So they don´t really aim for democracy, but their own despotic rule.
You are right.
I was reading a Turkish news article and it said :"Bütün siyasal meselelerimizde dönüp dolaşıp aynı yere geliyoruz: Siyasal aktörler, güç ve yetki paylaşımını öğrenemiyorlar. Her aktör, fırsat bulunca tekçi, dışlayıcı bir yapı kurmaya girişiyor ve uzun vadede kendi tasfiyesinin yolunu açıyor."
We are coming back to square one with all our political problems: Our political actors are unable to learn how to share power and authority. Every actor is trying to establish a structure to exclude others and opening the path of eliminating themselves.
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