MILLIYET- Columnist Hasan Cemal writes about why former Economy Minister Kemal Dervis changed his mind about joining the New Turkey Party (YTP) and joined the Republican People’s Party (CHP) instead. A summary of his column is as follows:
John Maynard Keynes, one of the greatest economists of the 20th century, once responded to criticism of his changing his mind on an issue by saying ‘When facts change, I change my mind.’ Now, I don’t know if Kemal Dervis remembered these famous words when he changed his own mind about joining the New Turkey Party (YTP) but I do know that Dervis had promised Husamettin Ozkan and former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem that they would continue their political careers together. Dervis personally told me, on the day he unsuccessfully tried to resign from his post as economy minister, that he had promised Cem and Ozkan and that he wouldn’t go back on his word. So, what happened? Did the facts change? Cem’s dismissal, without any consideration, of Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal’s proposal for alliance and attempts, and again, efforts by Cem to form alliances with the centre-right seem to have been the key factors leading to Dervis’ about-face. Dervis’ intentions were good in trying to unite the left. However, he was naive. It was clear that it wouldn’t work. Party leaders, their egos and their lack of will to reach a compromise has made unification of the left a near impossible prospect for years now. Despite Dervis knowing all this he tried anyway. As for me, I visited 14 provinces in May and six in August and came to the conclusion that the Cem-Dervis partnership had given new hope to Turkish politics. However, it was obvious that the YTP would be in trouble if Dervis didn’t join. Anyhow, all that’s in the past now. Facts have changed and Dervis chose to join the CHP. It’s time, therefore to start saying new things. It looks like Baykal has been given another chance in politics and has a real opportunity to make something good out of his partnership with Dervis. We’ll soon see if he is able to. Let’s hope that with its new ‘social liberal synthesis’ the CHP also gets the votes of centrist voters.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION