Striking assessment from retired Admiral Ertürk: Political spinelessness in Turkey, from ideology to a union of interests

In modern democracies, political parties are not structures focused solely on winning elections. Parties are also built upon specific ideological foundations and offer their voters a vision for the future. In Turkey, this connection is increasingly weakening. Ertürk's expression that "they were made candidates through cronyism" reveals that political actors are determined more by personal relationships and pragmatism than by merit and ideological loyalty.

Unions of Interests and Fragile Alliances

As Ertürk points out, when a party loses its ideological context, all that remains is a union of interests. And unions of interests are destined to fall apart in times of crisis. When faced with difficulties, politicians prefer to turn toward a new center of power rather than maintain principled commitment. This situation is an indicator not only of individual career calculations but also of the institutional weakness of political parties.

The Erosion of Social Trust

Although political spinelessness may appear to be the result of pragmatism at the individual level, it actually creates much broader effects at the societal level. Actors who defend one party yesterday but switch to the exact opposite line today damage the credibility of politics in the eyes of the voter. This loss of trust leads to a decrease in political participation, shakes faith in democracy, and deepens social polarization.

The Need for Principled Politics

Ertürk's words reflect the essence of the transformation occurring in Turkey's political structure. When interest-based calculations replace ideological commitment, the quality of politics declines, and democratic representation suffers from erosion. What Turkey needs are not politicians who change direction in times of crisis, but those who stand firmly in line with their principles.

Türker Ertürk's criticism points not only to specific names or parties but to a deep-rooted problem in Turkish politics. Political spinelessness is a product of institutional flaws and ideological erosion beyond individual choices. Democracy can only be strengthened by politicians who have a backbone, are principled, and act with a sense of responsibility toward society.

When they see difficulty, they resign and switch to the other side. Because there is no ideological depth or commitment. Because they were made candidates through cronyism. Once a political party loses its ideology, it begins to turn into a union of interests. When things get tough, they leave this union for another...

— Türker Ertürk (@Orsatramola) September 10, 2025