PodcastZeitgeist Turkey | Episode 11: Why President Erdoğan ordered jailing of three opposition MPs now
Duvar English’s editor-in-chief Cansu Çamlıbel and pollster Can Selçuki discuss what is happening in Turkish politics in the light of last week's move by the government to strip the parliamentary statuses of three opposition politicians. They try to find answers to what President Erdoğan tries to achieve by ordering the jailing of three opposition politicians now, whether there is a snap election looming and whether there is still need for an election alliance of the opposition parties.
Editor: Azra Ceylan
Duvar English’s editor-in-chief Cansu Çamlıbel and pollster Can Selçuki discuss what is happening in Turkish politics in the light of last week's move by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to strip the parliamentary statuses of three opposition politicians.
Along with pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers Leyla Güven and Musa Farisoğulları, Enis Berberoğlu from the Republican People's Party (CHP) lost his parliamentary status on June 4. All of the opposition deputies were arrested hours later. Berberoğu later has been temporarily released from prison and will remain under house arrest until the end of July as part of coronavirus measures.
The move of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was met with surprise among the opposition ranks. However, it quickly became evident that the AKP brass knew about it for a week. The order to strip deputies of their parliamentary statuses was given by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Meanwhile some recent surveys revealed that opposition İYİ Party coming in third in a potential election, following the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition CHP. The AKP’s coalition partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) ranks fifth, following pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
In the light of these developments, Çamlıbel and Selçuki try to find answers to what President Erdoğan tries to achieve byt ordering the jailing of three opposition politicians, whether there is a snap election looming and whether there is still need for an election alliance of the opposition parties.
This podcast was prepared with support from Heinrich Böll Stiftung’s Turkey Representation.
