HURRIYET- Columnist Sedat Ergin writes on former State Minister Kemal Dervis’s stepping into politics and his chances in and contribution to it. A summary of is column is as follows:
When he arrived in Ankara in March 2001 at the request of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s, Kemal Dervis was so powerful that he could have taken control of the whole system in Turkey. Turkey’s economy was in a terrible state and we needed a person who could heal it and restore Turkey’s dialogue with international finance institutions. Thus, Dervis turned out to be an inevitable figure for Turkey with his wide experience in the World Bank and his prestige in international finance quarters as well as his deep insight into economics. The need for a figure like Dervis was so great that it gave him some big cards to play. Ecevit offered him the chairmanship of the Central Bank, yet he ended up getting the state ministry post in charge of the whole economy. After he became a minister, Dervis, took the full reins of his position in order to accomplish almost all his goals. He was a figure who could achieve his goals this way or that. However, his strength did not issue solely the support he enjoyed from international finance quarters and markets. He was also a sympathetic man who was able to establish direct communication with the people, a trait which attracted substantial support especially from the big cities. Nevertheless, as soon as he stepped into politics, he was faced with a wholly different realm. In this world he was introduced to an environment shaped by personal and party-based struggles and by age-old grievances. This was not what he had gotten used to. Was he going to be able to get everything he wanted in this new world? Dervis’s aim this time was truly a difficult one to achieve: reuniting the fragmented political picture in the center under a single umbrella, which was altogether contrary to the nature of political practice and structure in Turkey. However, the picture grew even more complicated. The fact that Dervis failed to keep his promises to the New Turkey Party (YTP) and then turned to the Republican People’s Party (CHP) created a degree of mistrust of his consistent character in the eyes of the people. Nevertheless, he is still a very important figure in the enigma of politics. Undeniably, Dervis will play a crucial role in attracting a substantial number of votes, especially in the big cities. Yet, he has to avoid any moves which could cast doubts on his consistency if he wants to make such an impact.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION