“Absorption capacity,” was a term used by the European Union as an argument against Turkey’s aspiration for membership. “You are too big, and we have already enlarged beyond our capacity; the door remains officially open, but actually, it is closed” was the gist of the message.
“I graduated.. but became a hooligan because of your system. There is a university at every corner, yet village schools are on opposite corners. The ideology of the ruler is taught in class, Rich/poor are separate, Discrimination based on money or the privileged.”
In the first decade of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) rule some among the conservative segments were keen on expressing a sort of admiration for Arab/Islamic culture. There was a net increase in the number of Arabic-origin names given to newborn babies in the 2000’s. One could see this sympathy in architecture as well, especially in the mosques being newly constructed.
“Taking Maraş [Varosha] was not among our targets and planning. When the Greek Cypriots started firing, our soldiers followed them and the city came under control without our wish. We closed it to civilians in order to use it later in the negotiations.”
The main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu won the Istanbul municipal elections this year by defeating the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) official candidate, former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. But for many this was seen as a race between the CHP candidate and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. That, as a result, has placed İmamoğlu as a natural candidate against Erdoğan for the next presidential elections scheduled for 2023, which no one is convinced will take place in time.
Those who are rather familiar with Turkey’s democratic backpedalling during the past few years might find it hard to believe but the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has championed the cause of women’s rights in the first decade of its governance.
This year, 2.5 million students have entered university exams. One million are high school students who are entering the exams for the first time; the rest are those trying their chance for the second time: they either failed to pass the exam the first time or are unhappy with the university and the department they qualified to enter.
“I worked both as a war reporter and political reporter. At present I don’t know which is more dangerous,” said Lisa LaFlamme, chief news anchor and senior editor of CTV National News while moderating a panel at a media freedom conference organized in London on July 10.
It took more than a decade for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) to find out how to deal with the Justice and Development Party (AKP). It finally realized the asymmetry in terms of leadership and the strength of the party.
