• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Turkey to hold snap elections on 24 June, says Erdoğan

FrequentFlyer

FrequentFlyer

Banned
Dec 3, 2017
1,273
Turkish president says country urgently needs to make switch to an executive presidency

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has announced snap elections on 24 June, more than a year earlier than planned, saying the country urgently needed to make the switch to an executive presidency. Whoever wins will be vested with extraordinary powers after a referendum last year transformed Turkey into a presidential republic instead of a parliamentary one.

Erdoğan has established a formal alliance with the MHP to fight the elections, which made it hard for his Justice and Development party (AKP) to to dismiss Bahçeli's call out of hand.

3964.jpg


"Developments in Syria and elsewhere have made it urgent to switch to the new executive system in order to take steps for our country's future in a stronger way … We discussed Mr Bahçeli's call with our relevant authorities. We came to the agreement that we should approach this early election positively."

In a related development, Turkey's parliament is due to vote later on Wednesday on whether to prolong the state of emergency that was declared after the failed coup. Parliament is widely expected to extend the state of emergency for a seventh time despite calls at home and abroad for it to end.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/18/turkey-to-hold-snap-elections-on-24-june-says-erdogan

In short, Turkey is moving the parliamentary and presidental elections, which were planned for November 2019 (at the same time) towards June 2018. Officially because the MHP (Ultranationalist Party) leader asked Erdogan to, but in reality everybody knows that is a mere show. It is essentially early fulfilling the presidential republic which was voted for in the referendum last year and giving Erdogan even more power. At the same time parliament is most likely going to prolong the state of emergency, which gives the power to rule via decrets, for the 7th time. If I understood it correctly MHP and AKP will cooperate and form an election coalition as well meaning AKP will probably have 60%+ or something in the parliamentary election.

Suggested Points of Dicussion:

-Is hope for Turkey to return towards a more european country finally lost?
-What will be the interior and exterior ramifications of this announcement and the likely election results?
-What should the reaction to this be, especcially of the EU?
 
Blablurn

Blablurn

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,948
Germany
Turkey has the EU by the balls after the immigration crisis.
They will work together somehow, but Turkey will obviously never become part of the EU anymore.
 
OP
OP
FrequentFlyer

FrequentFlyer

Banned
Dec 3, 2017
1,273
Blablurn said:
Turkey has the EU by the balls after the immigration crisis.
They will work together somehow, but Turkey will obviously never become part of the EU anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I was happy to see the EU comission at least not holding back substantially in the recent new member preparation reports. Yet they still are afraid of officially cancelling the talks, citing it might hurt the western-oriented people in the big cities (Istanbul?). The question is, how much of a factor are they still? I remember that during the referendum at least Istanbul was much above average in regards to being against the presidential system, but I'd also assume there will be opposition erosion in the cities as well sooner or later?
 
OP
OP
FrequentFlyer

FrequentFlyer

Banned
Dec 3, 2017
1,273
hydrophilic attack said:
seriously fuck this wankerer
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I think an interesting question will be what will come after him. The way he appears I'd probably think he'll hold on to power as long as he can, and then afterwards I've heard rumors of his son eventually taking over in ~10 years+ time. At that point they might as well scratch off the "republic" part too.

What also sort of astounds me is the complete lack of any charismatic opposition leaders. Either there just is noone, which I find hard to believe in a country of 80million+, or AKP knows well how to stop them before anything even starts, see the arrests of HDP leaders.
 
CellarDoor

CellarDoor

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
316
Irrelevant EU thinks Turkey gives a shit about it. Here's a memo to white Europe. It doesn't.

To Erdogan continue fighting the good fight. We will support you as far as the mountains of Karakorams.
 
Mivey

Mivey

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,826
FrequentFlyer said:
At that point they might as well scratch off the "republic" part too.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'd argue it's already stretching the definition of republic as it stands. If Erdogan continues to grab power and amass control, he might as well declare himself Sultan of his new Ottoman Empire. And most people in Turkey would likely cheer him on, too.
 
Rand a. Thor

Rand a. Thor

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
10,213
Greece
Erdogan with even more power to do what he wants worries me. Its not just Syria, they have been playing too many games in the Aegean lately for them not to be planning something.
 
Keikaku

Keikaku

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,769
Ottoman empire making a comeback. Neighboring countries need to be wary of their borders, Syria is already being conquered.
 
Shoot

Shoot

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,545
The EU had their chance to snatch up Turkey and have a larger influence over them but they blew it just because Turkey is a Muslim country.
 
Sho_Nuff82

Sho_Nuff82

Member
Nov 14, 2017
18,431
CellarDoor said:
Irrelevant EU thinks Turkey gives a shit about it. Here's a memo to white Europe. It doesn't.

To Erdogan continue fighting the good fight. We will support you as far as the mountains of Karakorams.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

What is the "good fight" here? A good chunk of the country doesn't want him and is too scared to speak up because they see the country as already lost.

Edit: Banned for racism. I didn't think any of the neo-fascists survived the old place.
 

Don't Have One

Member
Mar 29, 2018
79
Erdogan's a paranoid fuckhead. He probably thinks that if they hold elections when they're scheduled, Fethullah Gulen will find a way to rig them with his imaginary terrorist group.
 
Heshinsi

Heshinsi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,093
Camel said:
The EU had their chance to snatch up Turkey and have a larger influence over them but they blew it just because Turkey is a Muslim country.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
No, because it had an abhorrent human rights record, mistreatment and oppression towards religious and ethnic minorities, and jailed opposition members and journalists.
 
jeelybeans

jeelybeans

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,948
I wish Turkey could rewind ten years and this dude never happened..it's amazing how quickly a.country can turn from secular democracy to theocratic dictatorship.
 
OP
OP
FrequentFlyer

FrequentFlyer

Banned
Dec 3, 2017
1,273
Heshinsi said:
No, because it had an abhorrent human rights record, mistreatment and oppression towards religious and ethnic minorities, and jailed opposition members and journalists.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
+ Not recognizing a member state (Cyprus), the North Cyprus thing, constantly engaging in dogfights with greek jets over the aegean, etc probably also doesn't help.

This is turkey actively moving away from europe on their own accord and towards a more religious, nationalist and authoritanian semi-dictatorship. It is an absolute shame, but on the other hand when 60%+ (result I assume for AKP+MHP) vote for this, at same point sympathies are lost.

One of the worst/most ironic parts is how once again the turkish diaspora in europe will vote for him again in huge majorities, at least in the DACH region. Enjoy the freedoms of liberal democracies, vote for a theocratic dictatorship at "home".
 
Last edited:
Rand a. Thor

Rand a. Thor

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
10,213
Greece
artemis said:
Dictatorul%2BErdogan%252C%2Bcel%2Bmai%2B%25C3%25AEndr%25C4%2583git%2Bsultan_47883.jpg



It would be very interesting to see Turkey next to Greece and Cyprus as a EU member.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
No it won't. Its never gonna happen until Turkey de-occupies that portion of Cyprus, and we get an airtight naval security net in the Aegean. I mean holy fuck, open borders with the current Turkey and refugee situation? Pure nightmare territory.
 
OP
OP
FrequentFlyer

FrequentFlyer

Banned
Dec 3, 2017
1,273
Mitchman said:
No it won't. Its never gonna happen until Turkey de-occupies that portion of Cyprus, and we get an airtight naval security net in the Aegean. I mean holy fuck, open borders with the current Turkey and refugee situation? Pure nightmare territory.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Not to mention that in one swoop EU would gain +80million people, there would have to be huge financial subsidies and the geopolitical nightmare of the EU then bordering Syria, Iran and Iraq. Turkey joining would have to be a huge, multiple decade spanning process. And considering the developments in the last years I'd say you can add a few more decades now. Before that the EU would simply collapse.
 
9-Volt

9-Volt

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,881
FrequentFlyer said:
-Is hope for Turkey to return towards a more european country finally lost?
-What will be the interior and exterior ramifications of this announcement and the likely election results?
-What should the reaction to this be, especcially of the EU?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I think Turkey should worry about existing as a free And united nation instead. Economically Turkey is slowly marching to its doom, it's in worst state since its foundation. unemployment is at critical levels, Turkish lira is losing its value super fast, Turkish industry at its deathbed and vultures like Qatar and Kuwait waiting to pick the bones clean. Erdogan doesn't give a Fuck about Turkey, all he cares about making his bosses happy. And rich. Seriously, he stopped giving shit long ago, he's literally saying "you're poor and unemployed? Well, somebody has to be poor and unemployed, it's God's plan".

Everybody's taking about his Greece is in economic hell, but neighbor Turkey is even closer than their hell. Chance of survival is diminishing each day. It's getting closer to the point of no return but people don't care. Why? Because honor means much more to them to live humanely. They'd rather see minorities and leftists punished than to have a job that doesn't kills them slowly. Or a job at all.

I think separation is the best solution for Turkey. Country is so polarized, and the problems are becoming more unsolvable every day. Unity is becoming a dream rather than a reality. Sometimes you have to let it go, compromise your values to have people to live in best conditions. Or even humane conditions at least.
 
hydrophilic attack

hydrophilic attack

Member
Oct 25, 2017
21,460
Sweden
FrequentFlyer said:
What also sort of astounds me is the complete lack of any charismatic opposition leaders. Either there just is noone, which I find hard to believe in a country of 80million+, or AKP knows well how to stop them before anything even starts, see the arrests of HDP leaders.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yeah, I'm pretty sure they rooted out plenty of secular opposition using the coup as pretext. I have heard stories about how critical journalists have been intimated and even arrested to set an example. Also, I think plenty of reasonable people saw the writing on the wall and left the country. At my department at work, we had three Turks join within a year. All very disillusioned with the current state of Turkey. We have quite a large Turkish community here in Sweden, and a lot has been going on in the different camps. Many are loyal to the regime, which is spreading its influence through mosques sponsored by the Turkish state, taking a leaf out of the Saudi playbook. There have also been some Turks with disturbingly relaxed attitudes towards people connected to the regime's ex-pat propaganda apparatus in influential positions in one or two political parties. Also some amount of spying against ex-patriates is going on through the embassy, China style. And we also have the Gülen camp represented. My sister works at a school funded by people with ties to the Gülen movement, which used to have many students from Turkish families. After the coup, almost all Turkish families transferred their kids to other schools, for fear of being seen as sympathizers of Gülen. Then also have the Atatürk brand of secular Turks of course, like my coworkers. Interesting times.
 
Last edited:
Ac30

Ac30

Member
Oct 30, 2017
14,527
London
Camel said:
The EU had their chance to snatch up Turkey and have a larger influence over them but they blew it just because Turkey is a Muslim country.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

We already have enough problems with shitty autocrats we can't deal with within our own borders.

FrequentFlyer said:
I think an interesting question will be what will come after him. The way he appears I'd probably think he'll hold on to power as long as he can, and then afterwards I've heard rumors of his son eventually taking over in ~10 years+ time. At that point they might as well scratch off the "republic" part too.

What also sort of astounds me is the complete lack of any charismatic opposition leaders. Either there just is noone, which I find hard to believe in a country of 80million+, or AKP knows well how to stop them before anything even starts, see the arrests of HDP leaders.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Akşener is trying her best - polls have her and Erdogan near tied but Turkish elections are certainly rigged now anyways so she's not going to win.
 
Ahhthe90s

Ahhthe90s

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
1,294
"down with your devilish white ways"

How sad is that train of thought? Such a typical AKP fear mongering, brain washing narrative to wash their supporters away from reality.

He'll win, that's a sure bet giving the corruption, what worries me is the pathetic lack of opposition. You see, in Turkey, everyone lines up when there is a common threat, in this case the Kurds. So people will naturally support him... Especially the ultra nationalist from the opposing party, these supporters are racist, mainly uneducated and don't care who wins as long as Kurds continue to get bombed.

Sad, pathetic and quite frankly disappointing state of affairs.
 
Ac30

Ac30

Member
Oct 30, 2017
14,527
London
FrequentFlyer said:
How is that even possible? And isn't she former MHP, so also sort of ultranationalistic?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yes, but she isn't "Germans are Nazis!" Erdogan so it's already an improvement seeing as she was for reverting the rediculous powers of the executive.

Are you asking how the rigging is possible? Last year for the referendum, they started accepting a million invalid ballots they "found" for Erdogan.
 
Buddy

Buddy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,295
Germany
Many of my countryman like him. He (erdogan) is a good guy for the conservative crowd and because of that he will win the coming election... no cheating needed
 

UnderNewOwnership

Member
Dec 4, 2017
3,097
In what has to be a clear case of bitter irony, Erdogan is the final product of the West's attempts at democratizing Turkish politics. Up until his arrival in the early '00s, Turkey was a de facto military dictatorship, thinly veiled behind a chain of puppet politicians. This was the system set in place by Mustafa Kemal, since he did not trust the average Turk not to become corrupted by Islamist Influence.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.