It is not a lively election period
Political party leaders are like thunder at election trails; televisions and newspapers do their best to reflect the atmosphere in the squares. However, the level of public discussions about elections is not as high as I expected. The July 22 elections are not the subject of conversations. People ask a few questions to each other about the elections and then the subject is changed. People are interested in some other things. But just a few months ago, the “presidential election” caused tension in the country; with the military warning issued on the night of Apr. 27, the Constitutional Court decision, quarrels, and coup anticipations, the tension hit the roof. Turkey had a brand new image thanks to the “Republican Rallies,” which succeeded to gather millions in squares and grabbed the attention of foreign media for the “first time.” When the early election decision came, an atmosphere as if people would start confronting each other fiercely and that all hell was about to break loose. But nothing happened. In the Kayseri meeting, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) gathered 30,000 people in the squares. There were slogans and applauds. Yet there is not much talk or discussion about the “elections,” in conversations at homes, mosques, or cafés. Why?
One could say that we have time and people are not in the mood. Hot weather might be a factor or the summer lassitude could be to blame. It could also be claimed that party flags do not mean much to people or that the propaganda period mostly helped flag manufacturers. Perhaps, the Turks absorbed democracy very well, to the point that they do not care about the elections much and do not contemplate on the promises politicians make. Everyone will head to vote on the election day, will cast his or her vote proudly, and then will return home. No one will be curious about the results. Perhaps it is for this reason that people have not made up their minds yet; they will wait until the last day, smell the weather in the election morning and will then decide.
I heard one of the most interesting analogies about Turkish people from Hayri Önder, the MHP Eskişehir branch head and a retired history teacher. Önder said Turks do not come from a tradition of dueling but a tradition of ambush. Therefore, voters are in ambush now, he emphasized. Naturally, he believes the said ambush is set up against the AKP. Yes indeed, we do not invite our rival for a duel; we rather hide behind a rock and attack him without jeopardizing ourselves. My inner voice confirms what the wise politician Önder said. In between of the military warning, coup rumors and rallies, some people are bored, fed up and frightened. Those who hesitate from the ruling party try not to speak up. Only a few “heroes” among them talk to newspapers and magazines. Everyone is frightened by each other so everyone is lurking for the July 22 now. Everyone will enter the cubical and cast his or her vote from the ambush. “What do you predict for the elections?” they ask. I say the AKP will be the first runner and the CHP will follow. They look at me in way “one kind of a journalist you are. Everyone knows this much even kids!” They want me to give estimation about the AKP’s votes. “It is somewhere between 25 and 40 percent,” I say. Of course, no one is satisfied.
Then I am trying to explain that it is difficult to know how the man lurking will hit whom.