Ümit Özdağ
Turkish opposition’s anti-refugee stance threatens all of us
| OpinionUnfortunately, xenophobia has been on the rise in Türkiye. This is not about patriotism in …
-
OpinionTurkish opposition persists in blame game as local elections loom
By Burhanettin DuranWith just seven months left until Türkiye’s local elections, the opposition remains focused on assigning blame for their election defeat. One might argue that properly reflecting on what happened in May 2023 would benefit the new alliance model. Yet, commentators close to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) make accusations against the alliance’s right-wing members, whose spokespeople make negative remarks about the alliance – which hardly amounts to meaningful analysis. If anything, the current debate threatens to alienate non-ideological voters, whom the opposition attempted to win over to secure a simple majority.
-
OpinionIs the CHP’s crisis the government’s comfort?
By Burhanettin DuranIstanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu took the stage in the final act of the "change" debate within the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Issuing a call to action on social media, he essentially argued that the Turkish people demand “a change of CHP’s leadership and management in terms of generation and vision.” Imamoğlu’s emphasis on “youth” was a thinly veiled jab at the party’s 74-year-old chairperson, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
-
OpinionKılıçdaroğlu tries every trick in book to keep his seat once again
By Burhanettin DuranKemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) chairperson whom the opposition holds responsible for their defeat in May 2023 elections, has been fighting for survival in the face of mounting criticism. Trying to keep his seat, the 74-year-old politician presses all the buttons at once – as he had on the campaign trail. He likens CHP to a ship and insists that his job as its captain is to take it to "the port" safely. He also counters the increasingly rampant discourse of change with an emphasis on renewal.
Bu Konuda Daha Fazla
-
Sinan Oğan’s move: What does it mean for Türkiye’s...
By Burhanettin DuranSinan Oğan, who contested the presidential election as the ATA Alliance’s candidate, endorsed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of Sunday’s second round. Rejecting allegations of a “deal” between himself and the incumbent, he insisted that he acted in line with his “principles” and highlighted the importance of “stability” with reference to the People’s Alliance’s parliamentary majority.
-
Insight Turkey Publishes Its Latest Issue “Türkiye at the...
By SETAWe are confident that this issue of Insight Turkey entitled “Türkiye at the Crossroads: The 2023 Election” will addresses some of the issues that have been dominating the political agenda lately in Türkiye and we hope and believe that the insightful and stimulating debates raised on the issue will be helpful to our readers.
-
Akşener’s uphill battle and the ‘process’ passion of table...
By Burhanettin DuranIronically, the level of difficulty increases as the Turkish opposition bloc's 'processes' become clearer
-
What will the destiny of alliances be in Turkey’s...
By Burhanettin DuranAnkara decided to decrease the electoral threshold from 10% to 7%
-
A milestone for Turkish opposition: Constitution debate
By Burhanettin DuranPresident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan created the framework for the 2023 elections by calling for a new and civilian constitution. The need for a civilian constitution dates back to the adoption of the 1982 Constitution, an embodiment of the authoritarianism of coup leaders, hence, the frequent discussions on constitutional reform over the last 39 years – and 19 constitutional amendments. Yet Turkey still has not managed to talk about its political problems at the constitutional level.