Bullying or Democracy?

In the Turkey envisioned by Devlet Bahçeli, the basis for the legitimacy of power is not democracy or the rule of law. It is securitization and moralism. I intentionally choose the words securitization and moralism instead of security and morality. The reason for this is that these concepts do not carry the same meaning as public morality or Turkey's security. 

Indeed, Bahçeli dons the armor of being the "sole actor considering the country's interests" and attempts to make himself and his party untouchable. He effectively equates criticizing him and his party with threatening the security of the state, regardless of what he or his party does. 

As an example of this, his statement after the local elections, "Everyone should come to their senses; Turkey was not founded at the ballot box," means "the ballot box itself can be overturned if necessary." This is actually the point where the duality between the AK Party and the MHP is formed. The AK Party both exercises the authority of power and takes responsibility; the MHP, while exercising authority, is exempt from responsibility. Therefore, its power within the system is derived not from its vote share, but from the power of the national security policy that defines Turkey's "survival" issues—that is, the polarization created through nationalism and fear. Because this power brought the Presidency to Erdoğan in 2018 and 2023. However, it is now straining the AKP. 

In this conjuncture, while Erdoğan is looking for a way out, Bahçeli is essentially saying, "Together, we can even overturn the ballot box if necessary and still protect our power. As long as we stay together." Indeed, the MHP targeting 154 public figures, including myself, points exactly to this audacity. As did their targeting of our journalist friends at the group meeting yesterday... This audacity means, "Whoever touches me will get burned." And this means a political party taking on the role previously assumed by the National Security Council. That is, holding the authority to determine "security" threats directed at Turkey... 

A party holding this authority indicates that there is no longer a symmetrical relationship between parties in that country. Because in such an order, one party has the authority to decide what its rivals can or cannot talk about, or to determine which topics are politically discussable. The MHP is using this authority to make itself indisputable and to create an asymmetrical relationship in its favor. 

The result of this is an order where the MHP targets everyone every day and attacks them with the harshest words, yet cannot tolerate the slightest criticism or questioning directed at itself and issues threats; the name of this order is bullying. In democracies, there is no place for bullying or threats of bullying. One cannot play mafia while wearing the armor of the state. If it is to be played, then the name of that regime is no longer democracy. Turkey is at exactly this crossroads. Bullying, or democracy?