Winds of change blow in Turkish domestic politics, here is why

The chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli, in an unexpected move, extended a friendly hand last week to the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Kurdish-oriented Peoples’ Equality & Democracy Party (DEM). Bahceli is known for using harsh rhetoric against the DEM Party over the last few years.

On Oct. 1, President Erdogan entered the Turkish Parliament to deliver key remarks on the ongoing war in the Middle East. Specifically, calling to attention a pending threat from Israel.

In a first after five years, the CHP deputies stood up when Erdogan entered the main chamber.

Yet shocking many has been MHP chairman Bahceli who went over to shake hands with the DEM party co-chairmen and its members, followed by a friendly exchange with main opposition CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel.

These developments are seen as a direct result of the ongoing atrocities by Middle East neighbors and Israel’s multi-front war. A 180-degree turn in national cohesion and softening of polarizing rhetoric is currently being witnessed in Türkiye.

Ruling AK Party-MHP alliance

The nationalist-right MHP, with 50 out of 600 seats in the Turkish Parliament, is known for its zero-tolerance domestic and hawkish foreign policy.

They had entered an official alliance with the ruling Justice & Development Party (AK Party) in May 2018 as a consequence of the security assessment stemming from the July 2016 coup attempt.

Türkiye’s newfound hard power diplomacy can long be accredited to this AK Party-MHP alliance.

MHP shakes hands with DEM

Türkiye’s long-lasting battle with the terrorist organization PKK reaches back to the 1970s.

Significant members of DEM, and their predecessors HDP and HEDEP, have long been accused of cooperation or membership with PKK.

In the latest developments, however, Türkiye’s war on terror has transitioned to be fought in Syria and Iraq.

The MHP has long led a legal campaign to shutter the predecessor of DEM since 2014 in what has been dubbed the “Kobani Trials”.

Former HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figan Yuksekdag are currently carrying out their prison sentences.

In the most unexpected move, Devlet Bahceli walked over to the DEM co-chairmen of Tuncer Bakirhan and Tulay Hatimogullari to shake their hands.

He would later comment, “We are entering a new era. While seeking peace in the world, we need to ensure peace in our own country.”

DEM party members receiving Bahceli was equally revealing.

Turkish politics can often be reduced to small gestures.

I hope we do not upset each other: Bahceli

Bahceli furthermore reached out to CHP chairman Ozel, telling him in person, “I hope we do not upset each other, don’t be upset, there are things in politics which must be said from time to time.”

Ozel would later comment in a press announcement, “(Bahceli) went over and shook hands with the party he said should not be given treasury funds, (and) is a nest of terror… All the elected parties of this country are valuable. Everyone should shake hands with each other. We are the architects of normalization.”

Effects of regional war on Turkish domestic politics

Turkish newspapers have been reporting every step of Israel’s inequivalent response in Gaza.

Numerous boycott campaigns remain over Israeli products and Western companies believed to be supporting Israel.

Some 17,000 civilian women and children have been killed by Israel in Gaza. Turkish society remains increasingly sensitive to the issue.

In an unprecedented move of bipartisanship, the Turkish Parliament, in unison and unequivocally condemned Israel in two declarations in October 2023 and May 2024.

Pending talks on new Constitution

If this momentum is kept, then Türkiye’s new constitution currently in the pipeline may be written with the contributions of almost all domestic actors.

However, it is still doubtful if any rapprochement in Turkish politics may easily result in cohesion among polarized political groupings.