Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is increasingly being viewed as moving toward absolute dictatorship, a transition that has gained significant momentum in recent times. For a long period, Erdogan has been systematically working to weaken the opposition and the media within Turkey to consolidate his grip on power. A series of three major decisions made within the last 24 hours have further strengthened his political standing, following a crucial phone conversation with United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday. These developments suggest a strategic move by Erdogan to establish himself as the supreme leader of Ankara, a goal he has been actively pursuing since 2024.
The Systematic Removal of Political Opposition
Erdogan's primary strategy involves the complete elimination of political opposition within Turkey. As part of this campaign, several prominent opposition figures have already been imprisoned, while according to reports from Turkey Today, a local court on Thursday delivered a significant blow to the main opposition party, the CHP. The court declared the general assembly of the CHP invalid, leading to a judicial order to remove the primary opposition leader from his position. Consequently, Ozgur Ozel has been ousted from his role as the leader of the opposition, effectively decapitating the political challenge to Erdogan's administration.
Voices from Prison: Democracy Under Threat
Ekrem Imamoglu, the former Mayor of Istanbul who is currently incarcerated, has voiced strong criticism against these moves, while imamoglu asserts that Erdogan is utilizing the judiciary as a tool to dismantle the opposition and remove its leaders from their posts. He has characterized these actions as a direct threat to the foundations of democracy in Turkey. According to Imamoglu, Erdogan's ultimate objective is to reduce the opposition to zero, thereby preventing the public from evaluating or criticizing the government's failures and controversial actions. Before his imprisonment, Imamoglu was considered a leading contender for the presidency, but he was suddenly targeted with corruption allegations, which many believe were orchestrated at Erdogan's behest to remove a formidable rival. He has appealed to all opposition leaders to stand together during this difficult period.
Economic Maneuvers and Institutional Closures
In addition to political restructuring, the Turkish government has taken drastic economic steps. To address rising inflation and stabilize the volatile market, Turkey has sold all its holdings of US Treasury bonds, while on Thursday, the government offloaded bonds worth 8 billion dollars. This decision by the Ankara Central Bank was aimed at curbing the chaos in the markets, which has been exacerbated by the economic tremors resulting from the Iran war, while Also, the government has ordered the closure of Bilgi University. This institution was reportedly targeted because it had become a hub for consistent campaigns and intellectual opposition against Erdogan's policies.
The International Connection and Trump's Role
The timing of these three major decisions has raised eyebrows, as they occurred immediately after Erdogan's phone call with Donald Trump. During this call, the two leaders reportedly discussed issues concerning Syria and Iran. However, the swift implementation of these power-consolidating measures following the conversation has led to speculation regarding potential American tacit approval, while gonul Tol, the Director of the Turkey Program at the Middle East Institute, noted that the United States is well aware of the internal developments in Turkey. Despite this awareness, there has been a lack of critical commentary from the US administration, while on the contrary, Trump has been known to praise Erdogan, a pattern of behavior similar to his support for Pakistan's Asim Munir, which contributed to Munir becoming the most powerful military figure in that country.