Why is Erdogan locked in with his opposition?
Of Antonis Angeletou
Where does the problem with Turkey start? No doubt from the looming defeat of Erdogan in the elections of 2023. And since the main characteristic of the Turkish president is his unpredictable nature, this makes the equation even more difficult.
For his presence in Madrid, he was harshly criticized by the opposition, which is constantly seen pulling its “nationalist sleeve”.
“Lion in the internal lamb in NATO”, was the criticism he received from the minority parties after his two-day presence in the North Atlantic Alliance. With their strict attitude, they don’t give him any room to appear consensual even if he wanted to.
It is obvious that Erdogan, Aksener and Kilinçaroglu are playing on the same field. And the Kemalites led by the “Good Party” will not leave him alone when they see that he is trying to make moves in order to have financial benefits, such as restoring his relations with Israel.
Why is Erdogan locked in with his opposition? Because the war in Ukraine and the isolation of Russia from the West does not allow him – in case he thought about it – to press the “red button”.
Even a small-scale hot episode now imagines a scenario not as simple as it used to be.
The questioning of the territorial integrity of the Greek islands and the demilitarization cannot go forward and are doomed to move only at the level of rhetoric, say experienced analysts.
What Erdogan is doing is constantly renewing his agenda. It is based on the fact that in Turkey “what is national is not disputed”. From the map of the “Blue Homeland” he passed very easily to the even more revisionist map of his government partner Devlet Bakhceli. Here too, however, there is electoral expediency, as no one in Turkey forgets that Meral Aksener was in the “Grey Wolves” before they split. Therefore, it does not allow the opposition to bid on national issues that speak to the conscience of the Turkish citizen.
The Greek government continues to respond to Erdogan’s political extremism through the diplomatic channel, the internationalization of challenges and the strengthening of alliances. The next important appointment for Kyriakos Mitsotakis is the annual UN General Assembly that will take place in September in New York.
Traditionally, the two leaders are present there in early autumn.
It is extremely early to assess whether there will be any contact between the two leaders, especially after the statement of the Turkish president that he does not want to meet the Greek prime minister. And commitments made before the election can only be forgotten after the election…
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