Meeting With Ismail Cem

HURRIYET- Columnist Oktay Eksi writes on his conversation with New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem. A summary of his column is as follows:
I recently met with New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem. Since he was once a journalist himself, I consider him a colleague. Although our jobs are very different now, maintaining the distance between a politician and a journalist determined to question him proved impossible during our conversation. The YTP, led by Cem, was born in a very assertive way. It enjoyed almost full media support. The atmosphere in Turkey indicated that the nation’s anger towards the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which seemed a hopeless case in terms of serving Turkey’s interests, would be transformed into votes for the political party to be established by Ismail Cem, Kemal Dervis and Husamettin Ozkan. What’s more, it was hoped that the search for a new movement would result in a big party embracing these three leaders. Cem is keenly aware of the wind that left the YTP’s sails after Dervis joined the CHP and redrew the political map of the left. However, he is acting in the knowledge that a political leader should be brave, determined and sure of himself, and that he should prevail in even the most difficult conditions. For example, although he saw the possibility of the YTP’s not being able to meet the 10% threshold, he said, ‘The downside to holding the elections as scheduled is less than what Turkey would suffer were the elections postponed.’ However, he doesn’t pretend that postponing the elections wouldn’t be in the YTP’s favor. We understood from Cem that he is determined to speak to the concerns of Turkey’s women and disabled citizens and ask for their votes. He’s taking into consideration that women make up half of the nation’s population and that six million handicapped persons live in Turkey. He wants to create a Turkey which respects both of these groups. Probably you have also heard many people observe that our nation is in a very reactive, angry mood before these elections. Cem is saying the very same thing. ‘This anger and reaction is not unjustified,’ he observed. ‘In addition, there is a real gap between the middle class and these reactive people, most of whom are unemployed. I find this situation very dangerous. It’s very easy to come across the wrong way to these people. However, we cannot act irresponsibly. For example, we cannot cross out our signatures given to the International Monetary Fund. We have to meet with the IMF. However, we should hold this meeting to discuss measures to boost production.’ Cem and the YTP have other difficulties because they have yet to receive the aid due them from the Treasury. However, considering that in previous years Cem entered Parliament in spite of very difficult conditions, it seems very reasonable that he might do something unexpected in these elections, too.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION