Duolimbo

Issue #215

This recap is dedicated to the columnist who mistook swing dancers in Diyarbakır for swingers. Yes, he was referring to the group attacked by a conservative mob this weekend. And yes, the best response is to dance even harder.

Dear readers: We’ll be on break next week for Kurban Bayramı. İyi Bayramlar! 

In this week’s recap:

• Bahçeli’s take on AKP-CHP talks

• DEM protests Hakkari trustee

• Turkey explores alternative pacts

• Ongoing diplomatic efforts for Palestine

• ‘The Birds’ reenacted in Sultangazi

Also from us this week:

• Sema Beşevli on the backlog in teacher appointments

• Gonca Tokyol and Ingrid Woudwijk on why AKP support fell in Malatya

Erdoğan visited the opposition HQ for the first time in 18 years Tuesday. © CHP

The week’s been defined by constant and, at times, conflicting messages. We’re still sorting out what they mean and how they’re being received, but here’s a visual summary for anyone catching up to speed.

After saying opponents of the new values-based education curriculum are “trying to conceal the fascism in their minds under the guise of secularism”, Pres. Erdoğan Tuesday visited leading opponent, CHP head Özgür Özel, and continued a so-called “normalization” process with a second meeting.

Topics reportedly covered in the 1.5-hour, closed-door session included constitutional reforms, state-appointed trustees (more below), the Gezi and Tahir Elçi trials, as well as economic policies and another minimum-wage hike (more on those in tomorrow’s Economy recap).

One outcome might have materialized today (Thursday), with the AKP reportedly stating it would remove a controversial article on foreign “influence agents” from the 9th judicial package.

Speaking after the meeting Tuesday, AKP spox Ömer Çelik said the positive political climate “should not be wasted”, adding Erdoğan and Özel might meet again on July 20 in North Cyprus during events commemorating the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s military occupation.

Also after the meeting, Erdoğan met with Ayşe Ateş, the wife of Sinan Ateş, a former Grey Wolves head whose 2022 assassination (and the upcoming trial) has been stress testing the ruling AKP-MHP alliance.

MHP head Bahçeli responded Tuesday first by wearing a large ring baring the words “God is enough for me”, which could be read as a threat (details here). Then, Wednesday Bahçeli issued a surprising and apparently supportive statement reading:

“The MHP sincerely wishes and hopes for the establishment of a broad-based alliance between the AK Party and the CHP … Despite this, our commitment to the People's Alliance will continue with determination, and our support for legislative proposals in [parliament] will remain unchanged.”

Taking a broad view, Sinem Adar, an associate at the Center for Applied Turkey Studies in the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said the AKP saw its position weaken in the general political landscape following the March 31 elections.

The same is true for the AKP’s position within the ruling alliance, and the recent ‘normalization’ meetings with the CHP might be Erdoğan’s attempts to compensate for it, and this drew Bahçeli’s response, she told Turkey recap.

“In a way Bahçeli is trying to set up the boundaries of the detente and this actually happened in a very similar way after the 2019 local elections as well,” Adar said, referring to a time when potential reforms were on the agenda and Bahçeli worked to block them with state and non-state actors.

Sinan Ülgen, a former Turkish diplomat and director of the İstanbul-based Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies, agreed Bahçeli was setting parameters and noted the ruling alliance remains intact.

“This is a smart and nuanced message from the MHP leader in the sense that it demonstrates his displeasure with the ongoing rapprochement between the AK Party and CHP, and also underlines his concern regarding efforts to undermine the cohesion of his party based on the assassination of Sinan Ateş,” Ülgen told Turkey recap.

“At the same time, he also confirms that despite these areas of concern, MHP remains committed to the alliance with AK Party,” he continued. “So, in no way does he demonstrate an intent to leave the ongoing alliance. And I think the fundamental reason for that is … both AK Party and MHP need each other.”

– Diego Cupolo