The AKP as a party: Is it Islamic, statist or just opportunist?

ORHAN OĞUZ GÜRBÜZ
ORHAN OĞUZ GÜRBÜZ


Date posted: April 6, 2015

The situation is tense these days in Turkey between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Gülen movement.

It’s no exaggeration to say that this fight has transcended any sense of normality; some might even say the ruling party has turned it into a “cultural genocide” of sorts. Of course, if this were a real fight, there would more equal power and leverage on both sides. But the Gülen movement is facing the ruling AKP, which has effectively taken over the entire ruling network. Of course, being a volunteer movement, what the Gülen movement does possess is an “emotional repository” within Turkish society.

In an interview with Zaman, author İsmail Kara, who is known for his books dealing with the topic of Islam, offered up some interpretations of the political andreligious tension that Turkey is experiencing these days. One of the more striking aspects of this interview was his response to the question “How are relationships changing between political leaders and religious groups?” He said: “Let me first make this clear: In our religious as well as cultural memories, religion and the state are not separate. Which is why even when they are placed under pressure by political leaders, religious groups are easily pulled next to political leaders. Many religious groups really do get close to political leaders, hoping to ‘take over the state,’ and see this as legitimate. But actually, quite instinctively, most religious groups know that becoming close to the political leadership will only weaken them. So they are sort of at a dead-end on this front. The same thing goes for the state and the ruling party. The solution herein is not easy. Also, the divisions within the country make things more difficult.”

The various painful situations experienced by many religious groups during the early years of the Turkish Republic wound up imbuing them with missions that were actually not natural for them. The strong, French-style secular pressure imposed by the state during the earliest years of the Turkish Republic pushed not only normal citizens but also members of the intellectual classes into a real search for what their relations with religion were to be. In the meantime, the early-made clarification that the state did not wish to see devout people in the bureaucracy created a significant reflexive reaction and almost allergy among some. And in fact, members of the more privileged classes began to feel the need to sustain their spiritual existence through religious mysticism and the like. Which is why people involved in sects or religious groups who are also part of the state or the bureaucracy have not generally entered into the state as such through any secret plans or strategies. Quite the contrary; most such people are involved in their religious groups or sects as the result of various life problems or personal journeys. In other words, religious groups and sects are not bringing forth people with the express intent of taking over the state. In any case, over time, this all became a natural process. Those people who felt connected to the very same religious beliefs and rituals that the state was busy trying to exclude wound up becoming involved in religious sects and groups and, over time, began to enter into the bureaucracy and the state. Had the state not tried to disrupt the natural balances between religion and society, the idea that “if we don’t stake out places within the state, we will have no chance left to even live in this country” would never have taken root in religious sects and groups. Everything would have just proceeded according to its natural order and balance.

Noted author İsmail Kara also said: “People believe that Ankara is basically just [President Recep] Tayyip Erdoğan. Perhaps we are not really aware of it, but there is the state core.” What we are seeing today in Turkey is not a fight between the Gülen group and the AKP. Erdoğan has, on his road towards single-man rule, either eliminated or forced into submission present or possibly future barriers impeding his journey.

The Gülen group was targeted because, unlike so many other religious sects and groups, it did not obey the word from Ankara. It would be extremely naive to think that as Erdoğan heads down this path, he has not encountered serious problems with at least one section of the iron core of the state. The fight we are witnessing now is a fight between whether Turkey will be more democratic or more authoritarian. The Gülen movement has always developed and carried on its positive relations with democracy. We can only hope that, ultimately, this particular fight helps it realize even more the true benefits of democracy. In the meantime, the AKP places its policies — which are sometimes based on political Islam, other times statism and other times sheer opportunism — out in the open. But never fear; the moment the state’s iron core stops being a network and center for the distribution of wealth to supporters of the ruling party, it will be quickly discarded.

Source: Today's Zaman , April 04, 2015


Related News

Latest practices of AK Party gov’t raise fears of ‘one-party state’

İstanbul branch chairman, Aziz Babuşcu, who said the removal of Hizmet movement sympathizers from state institutions started long before the corruption scandal broke on Dec. 17 of last year. Babuşcu’s remarks drew condemnations, with many accusing the AK Party of removing public servants that the party dislikes from duty and filling state institutions with party supporters.

Kosovo grants asylum to Turkish national

About five months after submitting a request for asylum, Ugur Toksoy, a Turkish national whose  extradition procedures to Turkey were terminated by the State Prosecution in December last year, was granted refugee status in Kosovo.

Erdoğan raising new army of political Islamists

Gülen had to take a stand, not seeking power for himself at his advanced age, but to protect the fundamental teachings of Islam that emphasize humility, moderation, justice, accountability and transparency in governance.

Turkey has not achieved enough democratization for Fethullah Gülen’s return

Kenan Taş Mustafa Yesil: “The possible tension between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Gülen movement is what the pro-guardianship figures desire most. Moreover, it should be recalled how satisfied they were during the constitutional and presidential election crises in 2007 and the AK Party closure case in 2008. Turkey is passing […]

Turkey just snatched six of its citizens from another country

The Pristina abductions are merely the latest episode of Turkey’s global purge, the government’s campaign to pursue its opponents all over the world, which began in 2014 but has accelerated dramatically since the coup attempt of July 2016. In this time, Turkey has repeatedly resorted to extralegal means to target its perceived opponents abroad.

International panel on Mary was held in Istanbul

An international panel, titled “Mary in the Holy Scripture and Qur’an,” was jointly held by the Journalists and Writers Foundation’s (GYV) Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP), the Tevere Institute and İzmir Intercultural Dialogue Center (İZDİM) at WoW Hotel in Istanbul. The two-day meeting was attended by a number of leading scholars and intellectuals of the field and focused on such topics as “Approaches to Mary,” “Debate on Mary,” “Mary Doctrine and its Historical Development.”

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Turks living in Britain see it as their duty to integrate

Political thunder from Turkey rumbles all the way to New Orleans

On the mysterious deportations of Turkish teachers

22 businessmen sue PM Erdoğan over Hashishin remarks against Hizmet

Twitter user apologizes for Gülen ‘traitor’ insult, blames politicians

Swoboda says HSYK legislation an outright attack on rule of law

Now it is time to answer

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News