A new beginning please

Three newspapers, three headlines. Cumhuriyet, strong defender of the secular republic, says: “Fine for AKP” – and they write that this proves the Constitutional Court considers the AKP to really be a focal point of anti-secular activities. Zaman, religious and pro-AKP: “Closure rejected” – and on the bottom of the page a picture of a smiling and waving Prime Minister Erdogan. Milliyet, a more middle-of-the-road newspaper: “No closure but serious warning”. In my view, Milliyet gives the most accurate information in the headline. Of course, it’s a major victory for the AKP that they are not being closed down, but at the same time, this whole situation should teach them something. Namely, even if you have a strong majority in parliament, it doesn’t mean that you can just do anything you want without caring what others think. You can repeat again and again that you ‘are not and will never be the focal point of anti-secular activities’, as Erdogan said yet again yesterday in a speech after the Court’s verdict, but somehow, many Turks are not convinced. After narrowly avoiding being closed down, they should start trying to find compromises with others. And these ‘others’ are mainly the CHP, the biggest opposition party. And the CHP should also change their attitude of opposing everything the AKP does, whatever it is. A new beginning please guys, in which you all stop indulging in slanging matches, stupid word games and beautiful speeches, and instead try to get Turkey through this difficult period.