The new dawn of democracy?

It was a rude awakening for Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expected an overwhelming majority at the polls. This was not the case. In fact, his Islamic party AKP lost the absolute majority it had in 2002, with 40.8% of the votes compared to 50% at the 2011 elections (258 seats out of 550). All in all, AKP lost 3 million votes and 71 seats. The main cause of the failure of the “Sultan” is pro-Kurdish party HDP headed by its young leader Selahattin Demirtas, who abundantly crossed the 10% threshold with 13% of the votes and 79 seats in parliament, a significant success also in the light of high turnout at the polls, 86.5%. Youths and minorities. Drawing inspiration from the libertarian ideas of the 2013 revolt of Gezi Park, the HDP party of Demitras managed to bring together not only the Kurdish vote but also that of the majority of some three million youths who on Sunday voted for the first time in the national elections, and of various other ethnic and religious minorities. As relates to other parties running, CHP, chaired by Social-Democrat Kemal Kilicdaroglu obtained 25.1% and 132 seats, the nationalists of Devlet Bahceli 16.4% and 81 MPs. Together, the three opposition parties gained 292 seats on a total number of 550. That of past Sunday was a vote that to a certain extent recognized the presence of minorities. After several years of absence, Christians once again hold seats in the Turkish parliament. Four were elected, including Selina Dogan, the Armenian Christian frontrunner of Social-Democratic opposition party CHP. The others are the journalist Markar Esayan with the AKP party headed by President Erdogan, and Garo Pyalan in the Demirtas group. Christian Syrian lawyer Erol Dyra was instead elected with HDP. Two representatives of the Yazidi minority, victims of atrocities by jihadist terrorists Isis in Iraq, were also elected in Ankara’s parliament. Feleknas Uca and Ali Atalan were elected in Diyarbakir and in Batman with the HDP party. A high number of women were elected, as many as 96, 19 more than in the outgoing parliament. A record number. Also the crash of the Istanbul Stock Exchange on Monday opened with a record-breaking – 8.2%. Political instability scares the markets waiting for the next moves of president Erdogan who announced that no party would be able to govern Turkey alone. Catholic reactions. The outcomes of the polls didn’t come as a surprise for Monsignor Ruggero Franceschini, archbishop of Smirne, former president of the Turkish bishops. “Sooner or later something similar was expected to happen – he declared – also because the Kurds are scattered across Turkey, but in silence and resignation. Now they found a moderate leader in whom they identify, a concrete leader who told his people to protest less and work more. Calling for sympathy doesn’t pay”, while it’s necessary to propose and seek “agreements and dialogue also in political terms”. This victory for the archbishop, “could facilitate an agreement to solve the Kurdish question. Kurdistan is a small area full of brave people. The fact that the Kurds are represented in the new parliament will do Turkey good and could lead to its pacification”. “Turkey – the prelate said – is a large Country that doesn’t need to wage war against its small neighbours. It would be even larger if its greatness involved schools, mutual respect, respect for diversity and for the last in society. Now we all hope that may progress in terms of internal democracy and reconciliation, with positive impacts throughout the surrounding area”. Has it reached a plateau also owing to the growing Islamism in the Country? “It could be, but the same should occur as regards the other communities in the Country, the Kurds and the Armenians. Peaceful coexistence in Turkey is a feasible option”. Democratic process. Monsignor Louis Pelatre, apostolic vicar of Istanbul, shares the same view. In his opinion, “the outcome of these elections shows that something is changing in Turkey. But we shouldn’t expect rapid changes”. This vote, he added, “will undoubtedly favour the democratic process. We shall see how president Erdogan will welcome this new reality”. There are 45 days to go for Turkey to have a new government. There are two possibilities: either a coalition government or a minority government. If an agreement is not reached by July 17, that falls on the end of Ramadan, thus with the feast of Eid al Fitr, as enshrined in the Constitution the president will call early elections. “I have faith in the Turkish people that have a great deal of common sense”, concluded the prelate, in the belief, upheld by a large part of the population, “that yesterday’s vote is also a result of the protests of two years ago in Gezi park”.