Turkey's political theater signals potential new parties
There is unrest inside all Turkish political parties, trying to determine their path forward and signaling potential new party formations.
Winning elections for the ninth consecutive time since it came to power over a decade ago, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) proved once again with the Aug. 10 presidential election that it has the public support to get what it wants at the ballot box. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been its pillar; and he now becomes the first directly elected president of the country. With Erdogan moving to the country’s presidential post on Aug. 28, which constitutionally must be a neutral position, he will soon have to technically sever his organic ties with the AKP.
There is an irony there. Since Erdogan declared his candidacy, he has been giving all the signals that he won’t abide by the rule of law by divorcing himself from his party, and that his election means the people's approval of changing the parliamentary system into a presidential one — of course, one unique to Turkey, shaped by Erdogan. All that projection seems to be at risk now, while creating unprecedented opportunities for a reshaping of the political theater here.
