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ANKARA: Understanding the AK Party

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  • ANKARA: Understanding the AK Party

    Daily Sabah, Turkey
    Dec 31 2014

    Understanding the AK Party

    MARKAR ESAYAN
    PublishedDecember 31, 2014


    Having accompanied Prime Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu during his visit to
    three Anatolian cities last weekend, I would like to share my
    impressions of the cities, hoping that it could aid in the
    understanding of the nature of the significant social and political
    transformations experienced in Turkey. We visited the cities of Konya,
    Hatay and Gaziantep where the Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
    organized its provincial congresses and made changes in organizations
    starting with the provincial chairmen - a common practice during every
    pre-election period. Those who expected vacillation and fracturing in
    the AK Party after the party's strong leader, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an,
    became president, are watching the process with greater impatience.
    Monitoring the AK Party so closely is an outcome of the opposition
    parties' failure in becoming an alternative to the ruling party. The
    AK Party, so to speak, is competing with itself and the main
    opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) does not go beyond
    consolidating pathological "ErdoÄ?an hatred," which is actually
    nourished by the elite circles' resistance to change. People do not
    change their preferences in the face of this aspiration, which is
    based on negativity and prioritizes contact with power groups rather
    than reaching out to the public. What I observed in all three cities
    was that the AK Party completed its institutionalization and DavutoÄ?lu
    was welcomed with great love. The AK Party organization has turned
    into a huge political machine that runs smoothly. The fact that
    ErdoÄ?an climbed the political ladder starting at the bottom of the
    organization and that he has never severed ties with the people among
    whom he stood out certainly contributed to this success. As for the
    sociological aspect of this success, it is obvious that the AK Party
    is the central party in Turkey. My observations in the three cities
    confirm my previous ones. The party has transformed into a structure
    that encapsulates every section living in Turkey. It has managed to
    produce a common identity for all segments of society including
    nationalists, Islamists, housewives, non-Muslims, workers and
    provincial elites.

    People satisfy their need for a nonviolent political cause with the
    vision of this party. This broad vision does not only enable people to
    look at global problems from a broader perspective, but it also allows
    living more freely and prosperously in the country and satisfies their
    need for self-realization. It is very important for people that Turkey
    democratizes, the middle class gains strength, the country attains a
    position in the world as a more powerful country using its influence
    on such matters as the Israel-Palestine conflict and that Turkey saved
    the lives of 2 million Syrian refugees.

    The political struggle gained credibility with the AK Party, which
    boosted aspirations for politics and enabled all radicalism to
    transform. The gains achieved in the past 12 years and the fights that
    were won with politics disgraced the reputation of violence and
    radicalism. So, Islamists, nationalists, Alevis or Armenians can find
    something meaningful for themselves in this party.

    Actually, what is experienced implies a perfect role model not only
    for Turkey, but also for all Middle Eastern countries and oppressed
    people. Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal was welcomed with great enthusiasm
    in the congress held in DavutoÄ?lu's hometown of Konya. DavutoÄ?lu
    ingeniously adapted ardent slogans to peace and political solutions.
    He interrupted the saying, "Let those who do not love you die," and
    said, "You know I am a teacher. Let me tell you this. Let nobody die,
    let everybody live as they wish, let those who hate us understand our
    way, let them be alright."

    During his address to the hectic crowd, Meshaal said how they were
    impressed by the AK Party's success in civil politics and underlined
    "democratic politics." The AK Party has gone far beyond an ordinary
    political party. Perhaps, it would guide the emergence of
    democracy-based public administrations in the Islamic world. This
    characteristic of the AK Party could be what distresses hegemonic
    states.

    http://www.dailysabah.com/columns/markar_esayan/2014/12/31/understanding-the-ak-party

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