The society’s lack of belief and confidence in an independent judicial system is the biggest deadlock that could happen in a democracy
I have been writing on Turkey's political developments, with a main focus on its EU target and foreign relations over the past four years.
Due to my profession and several assignments, I had spent an essential part of my life abroad, mainly in Brussels. I have been participating in numerous political meetings, symposia and conferences as a speaker or as a contributor in the EU countries and the U.S. This has enabled me to observe how politics are managed under difficult circumstances. I have seen how international crises and catastrophes – most importantly the 9/11 attacks – were managed.
In spite of all I have gone through, I cannot help being astounded by the vanishing of principles in politics which Turkey is pushed into by the opposition. It is not easy to understand how such a process of getting rid of any ethical values has started in a democratic regime. A voice recording, which is seemingly assumed to be taking place between Prime Minister Erdoğan and his family, has entered into the country's agenda. Since the beginning, such very dubious voice and video recordings should have been disregarded and prosecuted only in case of a felony.
On the contrary, the public opinion has entered a heated debate over the issue. It is not the first time audio-visuals, which through social media are used to target mobbing certain people, are being as tools in Turkey's politics. The former chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz Baykal, stepped down due to a video tape circulated via the Internet, which was hardly understandable. Naturally, if one is appointed as a chairman by such shabby means, he would not abstain from using similar means in his position in the opposition.
I would leave to the appreciation of the public opinion the fact that a possibly fabricated audio recording was played in the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
The arising problem at this point is that no image of deliquescence of democracy would help either the government or the opposition as legal political powers. Any audio visual or other recording would do nothing but further divide the already deeply polarized Turkish society. The supporters of the government would name this move nothing but a dark propaganda making Goebbels envious; whereas the opposing voters would take this opportunity to overthrow the government.
In functioning democracies, such recordings and documents should only be taken into consideration if they contain elements of a crime and would then be investigated by the independent judicial power. I would like to hope that those people, who tried to shut down or overthrow the ruling AK Party through instrumentalizing the Constitutional Court, understand the necessity of independence in the judicial system in a democratic society.
This latter provides stability and conciliation only if it's played by the rules. Defeat is inevitable in democracies as long as one cooperates with the pirate opposition which has obviously established a web of blackmailing. No democratic move can depend on a strategy that justifies unethical, immoral or undemocratic attempts.
Both the struggle and democracy would be lost if one hopes to obtain anti-democratic organizations' support in the struggle for democracy. There are ominous examples of it in history. I believe this is the worst case scenario…
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