So, potentially we can start seeing a rolling-back of Erdogan's soft authoritarianism? Or will he continue to try to centralize authority?
Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.He is still constrained by the constitution and now he can't change it at will, so at least his march to dictatorship (seriously, the number of presidential republics that haven't gone in that direction can probably be counted on one hand. It's not a particularly good model, especially for young democracies) will be slowed.
edited 7th Jun '15 7:51:17 PM by Rationalinsanity
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.Hmmm. Since he can presumably no longer count on a pliant Parliament, the real question now is this: does he currently have enough power to end-run a possibly recalcitrant legislature?
Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.Turkey and Religious Minorities
. Said minorities are, of course, celebrating the recent election results.
"As the daily Hurriyet reported, the new crop of deputies includes at least four people of Christian background: Selina Dogan, an Armenian lawyer who stood for the CHP, the secular-nationalist opposition party; Markar Esayan, a journalist with Armenian roots who ran on an AK party ticket; Garo Paylan, another Istanbul Armenian, who stood for the HDP; and Erol Dora, a lawyer of Syrian christian orthodox background. On top of that, two HDP deputies are Yazidis, members of another religious minority that has suffered terribly in neighbouring Iraq at the hands of Islamic State.
The CHP ranks also include one Roma, and a good number of Alevis whose practice of Islam differs from the state-encouraged Sunni norm. The female share of parliamentary seats has risen to 16% from 9%, mainly thanks to the HDP's good gender balance; and the lady parliamentarians range from devout wearers of the Muslim headscarf to women who totally reject such garb."
Diversity is empowering itself in Turkey.
I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.So how has the country been getting along with Ahmet Davutoğlu in the Prime Minister's seat and Erdogan in the largely ceremonial position (according to The Other Wiki) of president? Has Davutoğlu shown signs of being his own man? I've heard about Erdogan being very much at the forefront of these elections, but what about the rest of the time so far?
edited 9th Jun '15 6:26:23 AM by betaalpha

Good. Get it up you Recep.
Schild und Schwert der Partei