“Task-postponing” announcement

President and AKP General Chair Erdoğan has remained aloof from politics for some time. He has yet to start election campaigning.

Yayınlanma: 25.05.2018 - 17:06

Güncelleme: 25.05.2018 - 17:10

President and AKP General Chair Erdoğan has remained aloof from politics for some time.

He has yet to start election campaigning. Apart from foreign visits and certain TV interviews,

he has not had much of a screen presence. He proclaimed the election manifesto at the

Istanbul Provincial Congress on 6 May and his party’s election announcement yesterday.

Following the manifesto which was capable of arousing no excitement even in the auditorium

at which it was announced, he once more appeared before the electorate with a very pale

announcement.

Contrary to the claims and expectations, Erdoğan did not set out any new goals either in the

manifesto or the election announcement in any area from the economy to democracy and

education to the environment. In fact, he gave the message, “We will continue to do what we

have done,” ignoring the increasing problems and expectations of a solution in various areas,

chiefly the economy. He spoke of the secrets of success in the economy and a long list of

successes in democracy and freedom.

In the announcement, the economic problems that have caused serious fluctuations and the

problems of justice and freedom that have been seriously cramped under the state of

emergency and decrees with the force of law continued to be met with dismissal and

procrastination. With there being procrastination over the problems, expectations of their

solution are also adjourned. The fulfilling of the demands for solution that are emanating

from all sections of society from business circles to the low paid and academics is made

contingent on a “strong parliament and strong government.”

For a leader who has been in power for sixteen years to say, “I will take very serious

measures regarding inflation after the election” and to list as pledges actions that he in any

case requires to take and steps where there was absolutely no obstacle to stop them from

having been made until now is truly astonishing. However, Erdoğan does not stop at this and

added to this “surprise” list a scientific centre to be set up in Antarctica, support to be given

to space initiatives and attracting a qualified workforce to the country despite very high levels

of unemployment. With Erdoğan adding a scientific centre to be established in Antarctica to

this list of crazy projects, it is hard to work out which group of the electorate Erdoğan is

going to influence with this pledge. But, it is palpably incapable of living up to the claims

touted by the media and commentators close to the ruling body that this announcement will

bring effective responses to the economic problems and embracing democratic moves. Just

like the manifesto, the “task-postponing” announcement does not appear to be the cure for the

metal fatigue in the AKP organisation.

New dates are constantly being given for the killer election-winning surprise from Erdoğan,

who until now has been waging a decidedly low-key election campaign. There was talk first

of waiting for the manifesto, then some said that the actual announcement would speak

volumes, and now comments of “Just let him come out onto the stump and then see” are

doing the rounds. But, with one month left until the election, it gets harder and harder to

believe that powerful pledges and astonishing moves lie waiting in the wings and that a

resurgence can be staged that will affect voters.

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