Normal-less-me

Issue #216

We’re back from bayram with obligatory cow escape videos, teacher summer celebrations plus all the ups, downs and ups of Turkey’s EURO 2024. Next up Austria.

In this week’s recap:

• Political normalization downgraded

• Fidan alleges Israel-Cyprus military activities

• Domestic politics wrap

• NATO, BRICS and Armenia ties

• Agnostic YouTuber flees country

Also from us this week:

• Rabia Çetin interviewed Amedspor’s president on the football club’s championship

• Tomorrow: Verda Uyar reports on new taxes and the CHP-Şimşek meeting in our Economy recap

Ahead of the Ateş murder trial, Bahçeli and Erdoğan met Wednesday. © TCCB

Fashion statements remain centerstage in Turkey’s news cycle. There’s a ring, a jacket and some nail polish in between, but stick with us and it will all make sense soon.

Prior to the holiday break, recap readers may recall Bahçeli wore a special ring and sent his blessings to the AKP-CHP “alliance” as Erdoğan and Özel held their second normalization meeting, which we covered here.

Then, in the bayram spirit, Erdoğan followed up with calls to trade political tensions for unity while still referring to the CHP as “fascist” on a regular basis. It was too good to last.

Speaking Wednesday, Erdoğan reframed the vocabulary of his recent meetings with Özel. He attributed the term normalleşme, or ‘normalization’, to the opposition, arguing he had been pursuing siyasette yumuşama, or ‘political softening’.

He went on to say “our 'normalization' effort is actually an effort to normalize the opposition,” which can be interpreted in many ways, and not just because Özel wore the AKP jacket Tuesday. Still:

“There is no political alliance between the ruling party and the main opposition party,” Erdoğan said, condemning Özel’s pre-bayram overtures for a CHP-MHP alliance.

“We walk shoulder to shoulder with MHP,” he added.

The comments may have also been a response to Bahçeli, who addressed MHP members Tuesday while seated and was helped out of his chair, reportedly due to blood pressure issues.

Despite his state, Bahçeli delivered some strong remarks, like: “The normalization of the CHP is the normalization of the PKK.” Basically, equating the two.

Bahçeli also said MHP lawyers – not party officials – would attend the July 1 Sinan Ateş murder trial, again putting distance between his party, the Ülkü Ocakları (Grey Wolves) and the case.

The Ateş trial is stress-testing the ruling AKP-MHP alliance, as widow Ayşe Ateş’ search for justice is making waves on both social media and news media. Additionally, she has held repeat meetings with Özel, who reiterated CHP would be present during the hearing next week.

Unconfirmed and highly speculative narratives link the Ateş case to succession battles for the MHP leadership. Some commentators suggest the murder was documented by security forces and has complicated the candidacies of prospective MHP chairs. Again, these are rumors.

And somehow, between all this, his speech and a meeting with Bahçeli Wednesday, Erdoğan was recorded commenting on a reporter’s nail polish, offering a brief pause in the day’s conspiracies.

"That nail polish is weird, what are these nail polishes, am I dreaming?" Erdoğan asked. For those wondering, this was the nail polish in question. And this was the dream.

But regarding the week’s apparent normalleşme downgrade, Dr. İlker Aytürk, assoc. prof. of political science at Bilkent University, said Erdoğan is trying to buy time ahead of the US presidential elections in November.

“In the case of a Trump win, he hopes to re-channel cheaper credit to Turkey,” Aytürk told Turkey recap. “A possible Trump win has the potential to strengthen Erdoğan against both Özel and, also, Bahçeli.”

He went on, predicting Bahçeli will try to sway Erdoğan by underlining MHP’s influence in the Interior and Justice ministries. Aytürk said if that doesn't work, Bahçeli could potentially break away from the ruling alliance and attempt to “bring İYİ Party, BBP and ZP all under the MHP umbrella one more time.”

“Bahçeli obviously doesn't like Erdoğan's flirting with CHP,” Aytürk added. “Bahçeli profits from polarization, not normalization.”

– Diego Cupolo

Graffiti in Beyoğlu reading ‘Hamas Street’. © Ingrid Woudwijk