Turkey loves democracy

Turkey loves democracy, like in Britain if you see more the three people in a line you presume it is a queue then join it, in Turkey you ask “Who are you voting for.” As with many things I see here, things now lost back home, that sense of belonging and purpose. The UK is now a vacuous nihilistic land; local elections barely reaches the heady hights of 20% of the population and even the last general election was under 60%, that means nearly half the population didn’t vote. Democracy has become flabby in the UK with more and more wanting to slice it up and serve up instead right-wing fascism, with it set to win the next election (The Reform Party). 

Here there are even neighbourhood chiefs, councillors and mayors who are known, back home people wouldn’t know them if they fell over them. And whilst on a national level some claim it is not a level playing field, turnouts of almost 100% are normal here. These are of course a direct result of independence and Atatürk’s insistence of the democratic process even with its flaws. 

Stop all the clocks they’re at it again! 

Just when I thought it was possible to do a nice article tracking democratic historical developments, with a few nice quotes and interesting facts, things are sent again to test us. The old leader of the main opposition party here, you know the one who is popular, decided to postpone the party parliamentary meeting –such meetings are important and televised here– as he wanted to attended the first year anniversary of his friend, a mayor who died in tragic circumstances. Are you following so far, as you may need a notebook and pen. Capitalizing on this tragic event, the new leader plans to wobble in Chaplinesque and lead the parliamentary meeting himself! I think you better sit down. However, he needs 43 MPs to attend and at the last count he had one man and his dog. So instead, wait for it, he writes to the speaker of the house if he can invite his friends instead, but doesn’t sign the card. So, the old leader looking and sounding like what the fuck next has decided he will lead the meeting. Like a poisoned boyband will they walk down the aisle together? It’s now 11.20. The meeting is due to start at 1.30pm. 

I finally turn to the news, the new leader has decided as there is nobody at the meeting who actually likes him, he will not attend. Crowds and MPs have been gathering since early morning in support of the old leader. Instead, he plans to have a group meeting in a few days time to be held in the parliamentary toilet. Stop all the clocks (again!!!) he is having a parliamentary meeting, but not in parliament (please can someone help me.) Instead, it will be at the party’s headquarters.

The men in black (old leaders’ team) looking dapper and with pride walked to the parliament through trees like a road to Damascus moment, thousands waited for them. He gave an impassioned speech. There was no going back, to get rid of  them they would have to root them out, root and branch. And they, the new pretenders, hardly had a sapling.

He took to the stage MPs and crowds outside shouting his name. Outside the party headquarters tumbleweed blew around the deserted building, like a Hollywood western. The old leader said to the crowd YOU have saved democracy. 

So, in the end maybe I have come full circle. The parliament is precious, democracy is precious and the party of the founder even more so now. 

As the screen fades, I am remined of Percy Shelley’s famous poetic words: 

Rise like Lions after slumber

In unvanquishable number—

Shake your chains to earth like dew

Which in sleep had fallen on you—

Ye are many—they are few.

The Mask of Anarchy 

Indeed indeed. 

(DM/VK)