Reasons for the explosion of hope

Social events generally take place through the interaction of opposites:

Each action engenders a reaction and then that reaction turns into an action and a reaction to it occurs. This interaction continues into perpetuity.

The essential reason for the unexpected excitement, the explosion of hope, that first the Meral Akşener and then Muharrem İnce events engendered in society is as follows:

Society was sick of the condescension towards society, threats, exclusions, demonization, insults, belittlement, allegations of treason, sackings, imprisonments, injustices, unlawful acts...

Moreover, both the written and electronic and also social media being taken under control and the preventing of reaction to this from being vented in public...

Especially the limiting and restricting of all kinds of fundamental rights and freedoms, the blocking of the means for complaining and seeking rights and the poisoning of the sense of justice through the politicisation of the judiciary...

The frequent and very sharp twists and changes of stance and demeanour taken in domestic and foreign policy and, following each twist and each change, the demonization and targeting of new differing opinions and circles...

The holier-than-thou attitude and demeanour and the breaking down of society along religious, sectarian, ethnic identity and political party lines of the toady hatchet men...

to such an extent that it was impossible for this pressure not to create a massive reaction!

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The turning point at which democratic and libertarian reactions surfaced and began to create an effect in politics was the Taksim Gezi Park Resistance in June 2013.

As I stated at that time, two paths were available to the ruling party in reaction to this explosion: It would either implement true democracy or step up its oppression even further and well and truly slide into authoritarianism!

I noted that it appeared more likely that the ruling party would slide into authoritarianism but the cost of this to society would be very high and it would also speed up the ravaging of the ruling party. Indeed, the Erdoğan/AKP ruling body elected to react to the Gezi Resistance not by developing democracy, but by limiting and restricting fundamental rights and freedoms and systematically increasing oppression ever since that day.

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 The MHP’s participation in this authoritarianism and support for the disabling of the democratic regime fired the first spark of hope:

This is how Meral Akşener and the Good Party emerged.

Meanwhile, the CHP supporting Akşener with fifteen MPs spread this spark of hope wider.

(I was on a plane that evening. I had people hugging me round the neck and saying, “Our hope has been given a boost, sir.”)

Muharrem İnce’s presidential candidacy has led to this spark of hope turning into an explosion.

For, İnce has become a symbol of the democratic longing of the wide masses that has emerged in opposition to oppression and as a result of democratic reactions.

In this sense, Muharrem İnce reflects the ideal, attainments and longings of our country’s Democratic Republic whose centenary is approaching.

His election will be a “Victory of Democracy” in Turkey!

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