Berkant Gültekin
The contradictions within the People’s Alliance have recently become a topic of debate once again. The partners’ lack of synchronisation on the Cyprus and ‘process’ issues, as well as their differing stances and statements towards the US, have naturally raised many questions. At the beginning of the week, all eyes were on Bahçeli’s group meeting on Tuesday, 4 November. There was keen interest in what messages the MHP leader would convey regarding the issues causing rifts within the alliance.
Bahçeli, however, once again reiterated his commitment to the People’s Alliance, dashing expectations to the contrary. At the same time, he set new tasks for the alliance and kept the potential for crisis alive.
Bahçeli expressed the first task at the group meeting. He said that the commission established in Parliament for the process should go to İmralı and meet with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. He stated that MHP deputies could also be part of the delegation going to İmralı and that there was nothing to be shy about. He gave the second task after the group meeting, while making a statement to journalists. He called for the release of former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, precisely on the day he completed his ninth year in prison. He stated that Demirtaş’s release would be beneficial for Turkey.
It is important not to disregard the change; when Bahçeli initiated the new process last October, he said, ‘Neither Kandil nor Edirne; let the address extend from İmralı to the DEM Party,’ creating a process centred on Öcalan and excluding Demirtaş. It appears that an update has taken place here in the intervening period. Clearly, Bahçeli has become convinced, or at least finds it worth trying, that Öcalan alone will not suffice, while Demirtaş will contribute to the process (even with the effect of his release) rather than causing problems. Demirtaş’s messages have undoubtedly played a major role in forming this opinion.
On the other hand, prior to these remarks, at the group meeting, although he did not directly mention release, he used a sentence that protected Demirtaş, saying, ‘We know very well where some media organisations, which seek to create conflict between Imrali and Edirne and undermine the goal of a “terror-free Turkey”, and so-called experts who voice biased and extreme views, are serving.’ Interestingly, Bahçeli addressed the media, but one of those who shared this view was Erdoğan. In a statement made in January 2022, the President drew attention to the distinction between Öcalan and Demirtaş, saying, ‘The one in Edirne will settle the biggest score with the one in İmralı. They also have their own internal reckoning. And they will settle that reckoning too.’
Bahçeli’s occasional statements serve as a catalyst when the process reaches a deadlock. Another sharp turn is being attempted in the process. Although Bahçeli once again stood up for the People’s Alliance with bold and grandiose statements, he demanded clear steps regarding both Öcalan and Demirtaş. Erdoğan, who has been trying to manage the situation by taking the process slowly, now has no choice but to respond to Bahçeli’s demands. Either Bahçeli’s words will remain empty, or they will be fulfilled. Erdoğan’s positive response carries risks that cannot be ignored. The commission’s visit to İmralı to meet with Öcalan could be described as a ‘milestone’ in Turkish political history. The state directly engaging with Öcalan as a legitimate actor in the resolution of the Kurdish issue, or even recognising him as a ‘founding leader’ as Bahçeli has stated, would entail a cost for the Turkish right wing and consequently for Erdoğan, who has for years cultivated a nationalist and populist rhetoric.
The government’s decision to clamp down on Ekrem İmamoğlu and the CHP, including his family members, while simultaneously pursuing such drastic measures, is not something that can be easily explained to the overwhelming majority of society. It is unlikely that segments of the public, unconvinced by the accusations against the opposition and the legality of the operations, would consent to the process taking such a turn while democracy in the country is being steadily eroded. The grumbling in the pro-government press about the visit to İmralı signals deep concern. In an atmosphere where democracy is being repeatedly undermined and the opposition is being paralysed, the process does not appear to have a clear path forward.
In an atmosphere where democracy is being repeatedly undermined and the opposition is being paralysed, the process does not appear to have a clear path forward. It is almost impossible to bring two opposing sides together at a single point and steer them in the same direction. It is possible to say that Bahçeli’s earlier call for ‘indictments to be prepared, the guilty to be punished, and the innocent to be acquitted’ fits perfectly here. To be clear, this call does not stem from a commitment to the rule of law, an emphasis on political freedoms, or an idealistic view that ‘there can be no peace without democracy’; it highlights how Erdoğan’s main plan, which prioritises crushing his opponents, is negatively affecting the process in terms of public perception and the political equation.
Whether the divisions within the ruling bloc grow or not, this should not be the dynamic on which the opposition focuses and pins its hopes. The partners still need each other and continue to derive mutual benefits from the alliance. Turkey is going through a multidimensional crisis. Dozens of problems, such as economic collapse, political pressure, undemocratic practices, lawlessness, injustice, social decay, young people’s anxiety about the future, and inadequate public services, which directly affect a large section of the population, are layered on top of each other. Organising a united popular movement against the system, growing from the grassroots, will yield much more effective results than all the contradictions that have accumulated within it.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Bağlı ama şartlı, published in BirGün newspaper on November 6, 2025.
