BY OKTAY EKSI
HURRIYET- Post-election commentaries aren't well liked. Just like sports writers lambaste the losing team after football matches, political commentators do nearly the same after the results of elections are announced. These same people generously praise the winning political party. Let me tell you, there's nothing to be ashamed of it, because the situation requires it.
It's clear that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and even Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a greater than expected victory in these elections. Now, just like in mature democracies, our duty is to leave the ruling party, which is entitled to govern the country for the next four or five years, alone, as long as it doesn't tamper with the basic values of the country and regime. However, leaving the ruling party alone doesn't mean not criticizing it or ignoring its mistakes, but avoiding acting destructively or obstructively towards it.
So the messages Erdogan made yesterday at AKP headquarters as the winning party's leader are very encouraging, because Erdogan said that there are common values and goals which unite us all. He added that he would carry the republic, which is a democratic, secular state under the rule of law, to a higher level and never make concessions from the nation's values or the republic's fundamental characteristics. Thus, he made a commitment. But at this point let me remind you of something. We still remember very similar remarks Erdogan made after his first victory back in November 2002. In addition, it's also clear that after capturing all the votes of the True Path Party (DYP) and Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) back in 2002 and becoming the center of the right in Turkey, this weekend the AKP strengthened its position. Through its messages and remarks, it signaled that it has no intention to move from the center right to the far right. Over the coming months we'll see if I'm wrong or not. But if I'm not, we can say beforehand that this will be an encouraging situation for our republic's basic values.
Since 1950 our political life has showed that it's not easy to oust a party which is settled on the center right. But this chance was missed when Turgut Ozal left ANAVATAN and then Suleyman Demirel left the DYP to become president. As long as the AKP retains its position as the `party of the masses' which it strengthened during these elections, ANAVATAN and Democrat Party members will face tough times.