- These charges came just before the primary elections, which the Republican People’s Party was set to contest to designate Mayor İmamoğlu as the official nominee for the presidential elections.
- The country, which became secular in the 1920s, now only upholds secularism on paper, while in reality, it has become a complete autocracy ruled by a single person.
- Turkey is suffering from high inflation, high costs of living, rising unemployment, and an economy that has remained stagnant under President Erdogan who has failed to tackle these pressing issues.
President Erdogan has always been in a set of controversies when it comes to his domestic policies or even international policies. The extra belligerence that Turkey has recently shown in regions like Cyprus, Greece, and Syria has replicated the various aspirations of President Erdogan, where he aims to become the de facto leader of the Caucasus.
This time, the controversy surrounding the president revolves around the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu. It is not just about the charges of corruption, but more importantly, about the timing at which these charges have been brought against the mayor. These charges came just before the primary elections, which the Republican People’s Party (CHP) was set to contest to designate Mayor İmamoğlu as the official nominee for the presidential elections and was pitted against President Erdogan.
The mayor was widely liked, and this was evident when, despite being detained on corruption charges, he won the primary elections unopposed, securing his position as the official nominee for the presidential elections. Now, it seems that the president did not approve of this growing support which is why, all of a sudden, İmamoğlu has been detained and arrested on suspected charges of corruption.
Externally, Turkey has been very vocal and has indulged in affairs where it should not be involved. Internally, the situation in Turkey is concerning. It is a country suffering from high inflation, high costs of living, rising unemployment, and an economy that has remained stagnant. President Erdogan has been in power for decades, yet he has failed to tackle these pressing issues. Meanwhile, Mayor İmamoğlu promised to address these challenges and take strong action against the wrongdoings of the current regime. However, his detention raises serious questions about the autocracy currently prevailing in Turkey.
President Erdogan has already corroded the secular and democratic spirit of Turkey. The country, which became secular in the 1920s, now only upholds secularism on paper, while in reality, it has become a complete autocracy ruled by a single person. But it is not just the internal situation that is concerning; it is also the attitude of countries like the United States and the European Union, who claim to be the de facto champions of democracy. Their stance toward Turkey is shifting daily. The European Union is thanking Turkey for its actions in Syria, while the U.S. President is now discussing lifting current sanctions against Turkey and re-including it in the F-35 program.
What does this indicate? It simply suggests that when national interests are fulfilled, other parameters like democracy and autocracy do not matter. The entire concept of democracy and the rule of law has become nothing more than a tool in global politics to interfere in other countries, while, in reality, no country follows these principles.
At the end of the day, what is happening under President Erdogan’s regime in Turkey is concerning. It would be better for the president to focus more on domestic issues rather than engaging in unnecessary interventions in the region and trying to expand Turkey’s influence.
Aayush Pal is a freelance writer on contemporary geopolitical developments. The views expressed in his work are entirely his own.
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