There's been lots of talk regarding Turkey's recent referendum! Jenny White wrote about citizens across Turkey filing charges against Turkey's coup-leaders from 1980.
As I wrote earlier, I think the big vote is less an endorsement of "Islamism" (or Islam in politics) than a desire among even a lot of non-AKP types to go after the coup-leaders from 1980.
The coup of 1980 was a brutal one, and many anti-AKP liberals, generation '68ers, and others who were young in the 60s, 70s, and 80s hate Kenan Evren and his cohort. They would love to go after him, or see him rot in prison. I don't blame them.
Kenan Evren: a Kemalist whose destiny seems to be helping people the very people he'd consider "Islamist." His specter has handed the AKP an overwhelming victory.
But those people are not AKP supporters.
Nevertheless, it's obviously a big victory for the AKP and strengthens the party in two important ways:
1) they can gain greater control of the judiciary, which could prove convenient regarding future battles regarding the AKP's plans to write a new constitution, as well as in regard to the ongoing Ergenekon probe. Maybe regarding the press, too.
2) A demoralized opposition heading into the upcoming constitution battle and Erdogan's hopes to transform Turkey into an American-style presidential system (with who as president?).
Face it, anti-militarism is selling right now in Turkey, and it's the anti-militarism of the AKP which often garnered such soft coverage of Ergenekon among foreign observers. People still see Turkey in terms of "Kemalist elites" and an army of huddled masses supporting the AKP, but it's not always so simple.
The AKP is authoritarian, but is authoritarian largely because it has been under siege largely since its inception. They're doing what they need to do to survive.
In my last post, I included a "Yes" poster which included a photo of former Prime Minister Adnan Menderes hanging from the gallows after his overthrow in 1960. Menderes was in power ten years, two more than the AKP has been in power.
Adnan Menderes was riding pretty high before he came to an unhappy end
My bet is the AKP is taking absolutely no chances in a fight for their lives.
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