This entry is about a major political scandal that engulfed the main opposition party in Turkey, the CHP!
It all started with the rumors of a video of the party leader, having an affair with a CHP parliamentarian. A quick google search with my husband brought the whole thing right into our living room! It bothered us at a personal level, since the daughter of the lady who is allegedly involved in this scandal was our student. We felt really badly for this young girl.
The on-line video had a very poor quality. It was hard to tell who the people were. It showed a bedroom, with a half naked women walking in and out. There was also a man, wearing a shirt and underwear. We watched them getting dressed and the woman made the bed before they both left the room… Nothing too graphic, except the naked bottom of the lady. But the video ended with an ominous warning: “Wait for Part II!”
The hell came loose after this video... Here is what happened subsequently, in a nut-shell: The party leader (who is 72 years old!) resigned. He retreated to his house for days, which is just around the block from our apartment. CHP zealots set up tents around his home and started a hunger strike begging for his return. My husband honks at them angrily on his way to and from work. The parliamentarian in the video and her husband are keeping a very low profile. The party united around a popular candidate for the upcoming convention.
What to make of all this?
Too good to be true! The 72 year old dude who just resigned had established such an impenetrable rule over the CHP that everyone thought he was infallible. He and his gerontocratic politburo had effectively sealed off any attempts for reform, liberalization and democratic opening. Now suddenly, the infallible has fallen! I hope the progressive forces can take advantage of this opportunity.
A new and strong political left? Turkish politics witnessed a sharp swing to the right in the last couple of decades. This created a highly unbalanced political environment. It also hindered the democratic debate and deliberative capacity of the society on many issues. Having a genuinely progressive party can help correct some of these imbalances and pose serious alternatives to the chronic problems of the country.
Difficulty of systematic analysis: When political change comes in such unexpected and haphazard ways, it just illustrates how difficult it is to analyze Turkish politics in a systematic fashion. We are tired of living in “interesting times” in Turkey. I can’t help but wonder, when will the “normal times” come?
Final advise: check the closets for hidden cameras if you're having an illicit affair. Better yet, don't have the affair.
The scandal-weary academic mommy...
