Erdogan speech underwhelms, hopes rest on road map

TURKEY - In Brief 23 May 2017 by Atilla Yesilada

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As I expected, Erdogan’s long-winded acceptance speech after his election to AKP chairmanship was frustratingly vague on promises of reform and restoration of democracy. Erdogan will now focus on overhauling his party, the local administrations and the bureaucracy to create a seamless machine to execute his vision. A cabinet reshuffle is anticipated within a fortnight, but no details are visible. After the new cabinet, Erdogan is expected to promulgate his new “road map” which will carry Turkey to a better democracy and prosperity. I’ll believe it when I see it. Erdogan is truly a master wordsmith. His new slogan “Turkey shall neither be condemned to the Middle Income Trap, nor to a middling democracy” echoes in almost every article I read today before I wrote this update. Yet his speech offered no details as to how either would be achieved. Instead there were many concrete statements confirming that the current policy path will be continued: The battle against Gulenists will be carried out with higher intensity, and without “mercy, but with justice.”No Peace Process with Kurds until PKK is destroyed.The State of Emergency (SoE) shall be renewed until “prosperity and peace will be restored”.Unless EU grants Turkey a visa waiver, opens new chapters of accession and dispatches the promises financial aid for the Refugee Readmission Agreement, “Turkey will go its own way”. Erdogan is now expected to work with PM Yildirim, who is also named chief deputy party chairman on the new cabinet. While rumors are aplenty, names are few. I would expect Yildirim to retain his post, while reliable commentators believe the return of experienced economy czar Ali Babacan is not contemplat...