The punch and beyond...

Anyone with a modicum of political literacy can guess who wanted to send what kind of message with the punch thrown at Özgür Özel.

“Watch your step”

Politics in Turkey has reached a new “level,” to use the fashionable term of this era.

No one should expect things to be “like they used to be” anymore—that is, if the ruling power has left anything behind that could be described as politics to this day.

This attack will raise the tension even further.

That much is very clear.

There is no aspect of this issue that should be taken lightly.

However, there are serious question marks over whether the CHP can properly follow up on this, and whether Özgür Özel has truly grasped the gravity of the situation!

But first, let us give credit where it is due. On Tuesday, at his party's parliamentary group meeting, he thundered, even if he didn't rain.

He said:

“Some are telling us this: 'We have brought Turkey to a certain point. We have made a decision. You are an obstacle in the way of this decision. You are resisting, you are objecting, you are taking to the streets, you are filling the squares, you are holding rallies every week, you are constantly keeping it on the agenda. Stop, sit down, return to Ankara and sit in your party.'”

It is clear he has received the intended message.

His words describe the issue exactly.

Nothing more, nothing less...

However, as the couplet by Ziya Paşa says, a person's mirror is their work, not their words!

Let us note that despite having said after returning to Ankara, “We will not bend an inch, we will not take a step back. If we bend an inch, they will bring this nation to its knees; we will never cower, we will win, Turkey will win,” he lowered his sails with the “get well soon” phone call from Beştepe.

Because this is precisely where the biggest breach in the opposition's walls lies.

It is clear that he has not abandoned the policy of normalization, softening, and warming up, which has no clear logic behind it following the local elections.

Every now and then, no matter how much he blusters, he feels the need to seek refuge in Tayyip Erdoğan's compassion whenever he finds the opportunity.

In other words, the moment of truth...

We have stated it many times: even if he defeats Tayyip Erdoğan at the ballot box, he cannot seem to overcome him in his mind.

We do not know if he apologized for the “telef” (destruction/waste) remark when he called him. There is no such expression in the Communications Directorate's statement either.

Despite this, he fell into the trap of trying to excuse Tayyip Erdoğan by saying, “The phone call made by the President carries value. I consider the get-well-soon call and think that the ‘telef’ remark has been withdrawn.”

This is extremely grave...

Moreover, the junior partner did not even bother to mention his name in their “get well soon” message.

Now, we will all wait for the instigator of the attack to be revealed, for the powers behind it to be found, and so on.

In vain, of course.

It is not necessarily the case that someone somewhere had to specifically instigate it just because they were annoyed.

In this country, the ruling power is constantly targeting and threatening anyone with an opposition identity anyway. Whenever they find an easy way, they throw them in jail, claiming they have a flaw in their appearance.

Unfortunately, as the country drifts further away from democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, this will be the new normal of politics.

In other words, instead of dancing with joy because “he said get well soon,” and trying to make the ruling power look pleasant to our people who are fed up with them by making them say things they didn't say, one must be aware of the imminent and real threat facing the country.

But it cannot be said that he shows much promise.

Looking at the tone of his sentences, it is as if he has forgotten—or is inclined to forget—the unjust and unlawful imprisonment of İmamoğlu, who became a presidential candidate with the preference of 15 million people, the consecutive operations against CHP municipalities, and the statements, insults, and threats that push the boundaries of decency at the very least every time he opens his mouth, provided that he tries to loosen the reins in the palace a little.

Yet, it is very clear that this is a strategy...

He knows that if he snaps his fingers, he will stand before him in a submissive posture.

He is at ease.

Tayyip Erdoğan is playing with him like a cat plays with its tail, and every time, he opens up space for himself.

He cannot be failing to see this; so why does he keep repeating the same mistake? Either he has a different calculation, or he truly does not know politics.

The real problem is that for our people, the knife has reached the bone. The pot is boiling over. We saw how the cup overflowed on March 19.

If Özgür Özel can properly lead the social opposition, he will shake the government. Otherwise, the rest is just empty talk!

Let us just say that rally-based opposition will not be enough after a while; this is very clear. People will take to the streets again when they find the opportunity.

Whether under the leadership of the CHP or not...