cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/27386046
For better context in the broader timeline: Yesterday, the government pressured the university he graduated from to falsify his diploma. Law enforcement previously conducted raids and arrested various elected mayors, and is also keeping Umit Ozdag, leader of Zafer Party in jail without any reasonable justification.
Istanbul Republic Chief Prosecution Office has ordered arrest on 100 people that include politicians, journalists and businessmen, and Erdogan’s biggest rival candidate for president, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is also the current mayor of Istanbul.
Erdogan probably wants to take the upper hand in his country now that his orange friend Is in the white house again. Trump loves strong men and he ll try to copy Erdogans playbook for his own purposes.
He wants to intermediate between the USA, EU and Ukraine on the one side, Russia, Iran and China on the other, just to squeeze both for his own interests.
Turkish politics have been like this for the last 100 years at least and everyone in the west falls for it.
Turkey is not a real nor honest friend/ally of the west. Better of without them and Erdogan
The west tolerates Turkey’s bullshit because it controls the Bosporus. Nothing more, nothing less.
Also, technically they are not the worst Middle Eastern ally of the West. Maybe giving Israel the go-ahead for their genocide showed that nobody cares about democracy and the rule of law in that part of the world anyway.
The Turkish people are more European than Middle-Eastern. Especially the educated ones in Ankara and along the western coastlines. If they can oust that geriatric wannabe dictator, it’s going to be the best country to live in for me.
Don’t get me wrong, I really hope for this to be a watershed moment for ousting Erdogan. We are all on the same side here.
My hope is not dead yet - it’s more likely for Turkey to go back to democracy in the next years than it is e.g. for Hungary - or for the divided states of america, for that matter.
Hungary is currently making a serious effort. If nothing changes, Orbán loses the next election and either has to flee the country or go to jail in 2026.
I really hope that this happens, but I haven’t seen any news indicating this. Got a few good sources?