Politics Service
Seeing that it has lost the support of the masses at the ballot box, the ruling party is trying to stay afloat by leaning on Trump while grappling with crises at home. One aspect of this crisis is the debate over who will lead the country after Erdoğan. This debate also encompasses a struggle for hegemony over the future of the National Alliance’s partner, the MHP. The prominent actors in this struggle are said to be primarily Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, extending to son-in-law Selçuk Bayraktar, İbrahim Kalın, and, though highly unlikely, another son-in-law, Berat Albayrak. Hakan Fidan’s statement regarding the KAAN aircraft, the arrests at MKE, and the public accusations between allies in the media were developments that made the internal tension clearer. It even raises the question of whether the statements made by MHP leader Bahçeli, who proposed an alliance between Turkey, Russia and China as an alternative to NATO and the US during the days when Erdoğan sat down with Trump, are an expression of certain internal discontent. Let us recall some of the recent behind-the-scenes discussions and debates that have been reflected in the media.
WHAT HAPPENED?
•The controversy continues after Media Ombudsman Faruk Bildirici wrote that the questions asked to President Erdoğan were prepared in advance. Journalist Cem Küçük wrote that opposition journalists should also be allowed on the plane, while the question of ‘who leaked’ the questions to Bildirici also became a topic of public debate. Hürriyet Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Hakan also confirmed that the questions were given in advance, claiming that the aim was not to ask repetitive questions.
•Discussions continue regarding Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s statements on CAATSA sanctions and KAAN fighter jets. Fidan said that licences for engines to be used in KAAN had been suspended and that the US Congress had to give its approval for production to continue. Minister Fidan said, “We are currently waiting to receive the F-35 and KAAN engines. They are being held up in the US Congress and the licences have been suspended. Their licences need to be implemented and the engines need to arrive so that production of the KAANs can begin. The restrictions in our relationship with the US will inevitably push us into seeking different options within the international system.”
Namık Tan, the CHP’s Shadow Foreign Minister, also shared claims on his social media account that President Erdoğan’s son-in-law, Selçuk Bayraktar, was against the purchase of F-16s and wanted priority to be given to purchasing engines for the KAAN instead. Recalling Fidan’s words, Tan noted: “However, according to the information I have obtained, although Turkey has paid $1.5 billion for the F-16s to date, it is noted that Selçuk Bayraktar does not support this purchase. Accordingly, Bayraktar is said to favour prioritising the construction and development of the KAAN aircraft. However, both Trump and Congress in the US are insisting on selling F-16s to Turkey because they are a significant source of revenue. Consequently, it is rumoured that Bayraktar’s opposition to the F-16 procurement has been met with dissatisfaction by the US.
• İsmet Sayhan, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Machine and Chemical Industry, was detained recently. Sayhan, a lawyer known for his closeness to the MHP, is accused of espionage. Meanwhile, on 20 July, news emerged that Sayhan had been detained, which Sayhan denied. The news raised the question, ‘Is this a message to the MHP?’ Sayhan visited MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli in November 2024.
•The tension between different factions within the AKP was brought to the screens of CNN Türk this time. Hande Fırat and Melik Yiğitel got into an argument over ‘Why aren’t you praising Erdoğan’s visit to Trump?’ AKP member Mehmet Metiner also harshly criticised the management of CNN Türk, saying, ‘In its current state, it is also harming the government.’ AKP member Mehmet Metiner shared the footage on his social media account and called for ‘renewal’ on CNN Türk. Metiner said, ‘CNN Türk is not being managed well. It needs to be completely renewed. In its current state, it is damaging to the government and to the Demirören family.’
•There is speculation that the race for the presidency after Erdoğan will be between Bilal Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The ongoing resignations of district chairmen following those of provincial chairmen, the appointment of Ahmet Büyükgümüş as Organisation Chairman, the appointment of Bağcılar Mayor Abdullah Özdemir as Istanbul Provincial Chairman, and the fact that one-third of the Central Executive Committee consists of Bilal Erdoğan’s peers and close associates are all seen as preparations for a new team within the party.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Erdoğan sonrasına hazırlık kavgası mı?, published in the BirGün newspaper on 30 September 2025.
