Ertugrul Ozkok: Turkey's current climate and the "reasonable majority"
Güncelleme Tarihi:
If what you wanted to do was sketch the profile of someone who represents the "reasonable majority" of this country, you could hardly find a better person than Koksal Toptan (who was just elected Speaker of the Turkish Parliament) as your subject. And so today, we see that a representative of Turkey's "reasonable majority" sits in the Speaker's seat in the Turkish Parliament.
The first great victory stemming from the July 22 elections has occured.
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In terms of criticizing the Speaker that came before Toptan, Bulent Arinc, I was at the top of the list in the Turkish press. The truth is though, my feelings about Arinc were always mixed. On the one hand, I saw in Arinc some extremely important and successful political merits. But on the other hand, he was also one of the most extreme examples we had of political provocateurs.
In the end though, I can say that Arinc did in fact carry out a very successful and character-full term as Speaker; I guess my conscience pushes me to write this.
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As for the election of Koksal Toptan as the new Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, it proves that Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was sincere regardign the promises he made about compromise and stability during the July 22 election campaign.....
I say that we all need a new mental climate here in Turkey in which the arena belonging to the "reasonable" is widened, and in which the center is strengthened.
We will not get anywhere with the old slogans and our primitive and archaic obsessions.
It is with this feelings in mind that I called out to Abdullah Gul in a recent column, regarding his desire to stand as presidential candidate.
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I am not saying that Abdullah Gul cannot be candidate for president. All I am saying is that it would be better if he weren't. Otherwise though, I really do see him as fit for all of the many high offices in this country.
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There is however a point to which I would like to draw his attention, and that is the theme that we so often read these days in certain newspapers about his potential candidacy:
"If you are not candidate, the will of the people will not be carried out."
"If you are not candidate, civilian authority will be crushed under the military."
These are expressions of feelings of revenge.
There is no connection between this decision and the military, nor should there be. It is important that no one set out on the road to Cankaya Presidential Palace while giving the impression that the aim is to "sprain the ankle of the army."
So my wish is that Gul ignore these sorts of cries from his supporters. Turkey has entered into a wonderful period and atmosphere. And the current climate has made those fanatics who are used to living with the scent of blood quite nervous. Of course, it's completely normal that those unable to find any other subject to write about than hostilities and fights would be made nervous by this climate. After all, all this compromise will take the bread right out of their hands.