BY MUSTAFA BALBAY
CUMHURIYET- During its six years of rule to date, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has made frequent use of the word `stability.'
Whenever somebody ventured a criticism of the government, they were accused of trying to damage Turkey's stability.
Stability up, stability down!
In their eyes, stability means accepting the AKP's views, or at least not opposing them!
In the wake of this definition, we came to 2008.
In fact, this wasn't a real stability. As economic circles didn't revive the 2001 economic crisis, and the public was tired, they couldn't mount a serious opposition.
To be fair, if there were objections from the public or the state on certain issues, the government avoided them or drew back.
The government wanted to change the Board of Higher Education (YOK) Law, but four times gave it up.
The election of the president last year was an exception .
But debate over the headscarf issue seems to have violated this six-year atmosphere of stability. In addition to negative consequences in the short term, we can say that the AKP is among the groups being hurt by this debate.
* *
The approach of the traditional business world to the AKP went like so:
This government's economic stance is just for us, they'll sell everything, and they'll create new horizons in all areas; this is praiseworthy . On the other hand, its views on secularism and the public order are contrary to ours. When they try to go ahead on these, we gently raise our voices and pour cold water on their ideas.
This explains the recent lashing out of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD).
I think businessmen can foresee that they'll be among the groups most affected if the AKP establishes the new regime its grassroots are pushing for!
Here's another translation of TUSIAD's recent fierce statements against the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) (which cooperated with the AKP on the new headscarf proposal):
We can't speak harshly to the AKP, so let's lash out at its supporter!
For six years, the AKP always used others to justify its activities. From 2002 to 2007, whatever it did, it said, `This is what the European Union wants.' When it was a matter of the EU, its three main supporters stuck out:
`Second republicans,' liberals and radical EU fans!
Although sometimes they seem to blur into each other, we can distinguish them.
These three groups also seem to be feeling the headscarf issue. At least some people I know have gotten confused, and they began to ask, `Where is this going? Does the AKP have a hidden agenda?'
* *
Yesterday, Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz issued a serious warning:
We're in the midst of economic fluctuations, crisis may hit!
The AKP hasn't weighed in on other pressing issues, including the economy, as much as it has on headscarves. Maybe it's covering them with headscarves because it can't do anything about them!
We may think that the AKP enlarged its scope by moving closer to the MHP, but on the other hand, it's ending the six-year relative `national consensus.'
Has the MHP helped the AKP climb out of a pit, or pushed it into one?
The judiciary knows!