BY OKTAY AKBAL
CUMHURIYET- Turkey had single-party rule until January 1945. The president, prime minister, chief of General Staff and all the Cabinet ministers were either members or supporters of the Republican People's Party (CHP).
Now, 63 years later, again we're faced with a single-party administration! The president and the premier, as well as all the Cabinet ministers, are from the same party . Supporters of the ruling party have been placed in all of the country's top positions, and bear great responsibility! For the time being, the only independent institution remaining is the General Staff! Even though the military forces are officially attached to the Prime Ministry, they are keeping their internal freedom and liberty. But how long will this last?
This coming August, can the chief of General Staff keep his position? Or will he retire due to his age? The land forces commander is expected to be his successor, but something else entirely may happen .
For the time being, the military is the only institution that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) hasn't taken! When they bring it into their circle, Turkey will return to days of 60 years ago.
Let's take a look at our domestic politics. Are there any political, social or intellectual powers in Turkey stepping up to stop the AKP, which aims to fully seize the state and remake it with a new understanding?
Could this be done by the Republican People's Party (CHP), which is in a deep slumber? Or the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the AKP's right-hand party, or large and small leftist parties with tiny one-percent followings? Above all, when the next general elections are held, and the AKP sweeps about 60 percent of votes by marshalling all the powers of the state, then this single-party rule will be entrenched. And what will happen after that? Everything that for years they have yearned for.
Anyhow, I can't foresee these days! But you will really experience them, even though today they seem only a mirage! Everybody who's young enough will see what administration under single-party rule means, especially under democracy, which is purposely betraying both itself and the nation with dreams of being a member of the European Union!
Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, recognized that proper affairs aren't possible under single-party rule and so urged an opposition party, the Terakki Perver Republican Party, to be founded. But things didn't go well, but instead got worse. Years later, another party appeared: the Free Republican Party.
In any case, the rule of a single party continued until 1945. Now we're again going through an order based on a single man.
Is now not the time to rouse our all politicians and parties, divided and at loggerheads, but seeming advocates of Ataturk's Republic, and to tell them, `Come on, wake up!'?