A reset stopwatch or “L`État, c`est moi” (“I am the state”)?

Although some columnists describe the "Text of Agreement" containing 2350 articles announced by the opposition bloc as the "New Government Program", I am always in favor of acting with restraint and coolness. Because it is necessary to come to power to present the government program to society.

At a time when not only the election has not been held but also the names of the presidential candidates have not yet been decided, characterizing the program of intention announced by the opposition as a government program is cuffing the pants without seeing the river.

The opposition bloc is always involved in politics, it has to sell promises to the voters, true or false, so there is absolutely no question of acting hesitantly in front of the curtain. However, I do not forget the fact that this opposition will fight against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the most experienced personality in Turkish politics and state administration.

As the parliamentary and presidential elections that will be held on the same day are approaching, the debates about whether AKP leader and President Erdoğan can run for a third time have become more acute with the opposition bloc's statement a few days ago: yes, you are right, the opposition bloc announced that Mr. Erdoğan, who has been elected president twice so far, cannot run for a third time according to the constitution and that if he tries to run, it will not be accepted by the opposition.

Contrary to those who write and say that Mr. Erdoğan cannot run for the presidency for the third time, I will stand by my position that the current president of the Republic of Turkey will run for the third time.

Because Mr. Erdoğan speaks very openly with society now, as in every period of his political life. There we go, a few days ago, he said "the stopwatch was reset in 2018,". What can be said clearer than this? We have repeatedly written that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, not Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, established the state that has been governing Turkish society since July 9, 2018, so the claim that he cannot be a candidate for the third time is nothing but empty words.

In the not too distant past, on January 15, 2020, didn't Vladimir Putin also suspend Dmitry Medvedev from the post of prime minister to "reset the stopwatch"? Despite being so outspoken about his re-candidacy rumors, Mr. Erdoğan reserves the last option: my nation. "In defiance of you, my nation will nominate me and elect me as president. And of course, your weight will be known at that time. Let's see how much you will weigh?"

Tayyip Erdoğan, against whose candidacy there are no legal barriers, has long since left that stage behind and is dressing people, who have been together with him in the political arena for a long time but who are currently fighting against Erdoğan in the ranks of the opposition bloc, down: for example, he tells the leader of DEVA, Ali Babacan, "You continue to sell home textiles" (as I remember, once, Gudrat Hasanguliyev also told Ilham Rahimov, "Let him go and build his hotel near the Kremlin"), insults the former prime minister, professor of international relations, Ahmet Davutoğlunu in another form, and criticizes the journalist girl who made a student speak, "Because I have many excellent grades in my diploma, my mother bought me meat as a gift", etc.

If the date does not change, on the eve of the parliamentary and presidential elections proposed by the head of state Erdoğan to be held on May 14, the ministries will also be involved in creating a direct dialogue with the citizens, learning their needs and fulfilling their demands.

While it is unclear how the opposition bloc, which has nothing but the management of 11 metropolitan municipalities to fulfill the demands of its voters, will respond to these specific moves of the ruling party, what exactly will the opposition offer to this crowd in front of the increase of the minimum wage by at least 20% and minimum pensions by at least 25% in April at the latest? It will be possible to see in 1 month at the latest how far the broad-based program announced on January 30 will help the opposition.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said that the identity of the candidate of the opposition bloc will be determined at the meeting on February 13 and that the announcement may be delayed by 5-10 days, indicating that they will wait for the announcement of the candidate of the ruling bloc. It does not seem convincing that the opposition can gain anything from these tactical battles.

In fact, after 21 years of power in democratic systems, any political party needs to completely renew its philosophy in order to ask voters for trust again. To realize this, the party needs a new leader.

What will be the reaction of the people in the parliamentary and presidential elections to the fact that the AKP, which was established in 2001, changed the governance system of Turkey, and prioritized religious issues again, instead of bringing innovations to its philosophy?

It depends on the extent to which Turkish society maintains its vitality and dynamism.

As a person who has been following the politics of this country for 32 years, my personal opinion is this: the "Text of Agreement" consisting of 2350 articles announced by the opposition bloc on January 30 is aimed at the collapse of the state established by Mr. Erdoğan in 2018. If this is the stage of the struggle, I don't believe that Mr. Erdoğan will hand over his state to someone, and he will say, "Come on, destroy it."

Therefore, do not waste time on the battle of words between Ankara and Stockholm on the issue of NATO membership. In the 100th year of the Republic of Turkey, decisive processes are taking place in Ankara.