Türkiye goes into overdrive, now
Now that the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) People’s Alliance could not take back the mayorships of the major metropolitan areas, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ministers will roll up their collective sleeves and not allow those Republican People’s Party (CHP) mayors to continue neglecting vital projects, especially, the removal of all buildings at earthquake risk and the construction housing units that endure disasters. The next elections are going to take place almost five years from now; those cities and towns cannot be left to the mercy of those who have not done anything like prioritizing risky buildings, building new social housing, rejuvenating historic values and city squares, and implementing effective urban transportation plans.
Erdoğan and the Cabinet ministers are going to be in the lead supporting role in many urban renewal projects because the former mayors who won again had misused their municipality funds and ditched their essential duties for their public relations programs, either to invest in their higher political ambitions of following Erdoğan’s footsteps and becoming a president or to grease the palms of their own political machines. Many municipalities the CHP and its partners won again are on the brink of bankruptcy; they have no long-term metro, railroad or inner-city transportation preparations. As anyone living in those metropolitan areas would attest, transportation – or the lack thereof – is one of the major reasons for wasted time, energy and money in big towns in Türkiye currently. The central government should bear the burden of funding such projects and oversee their timely completion. However, we should keep in mind that the ministries do not have absolute authority over the local administrations. The Erdoğan administration cannot turn its back on the urgent needs of those people who did not vote for the candidates of the AK Party and its partners. Their welfare and safety are still a national issue. The central government cannot afford to lose a day waiting for the sweet will of the main opposition mayors who retained control of their cities.
But still, the workload in the local municipalities is not going to be as tiresome in the major cities where the AK Party won back control. Despite his active involvement during the primaries of his party’s candidates and participation in rallies, Erdoğan and his security, diplomacy and economy teams kept their focus on the issues of national importance. Erdoğan’s policies of self-sufficiency in defense, energy and finance have been progressing incessantly since last year’s general election. Erdoğan, boosted by a strong showing in those elections and having been elected a second time as president, put anti-inflationary measures in place and indicated the second half of the year to see the results.
The recent Türkiye-Iraq agreement aims to combat terrorism, particularly the PKK and Daesh, elevate economic cooperation and prepare for potential U.S. withdrawals from Syria and Iraq. With Erdoğan’s impending visit to Baghdad, and potentially Irbil, in April, this strategic alignment not only promises a sustainable framework for bilateral ties but also bodes well for the region. The tidied-up Iraq and Syria should allow U.S. President Joe Biden to end the neocons’ “occupation and perpetual war” strategies finally and focus on the forthcoming elections in his country. America should be doing what it does best: taking care of free trade and helping even its adversaries develop and become trade partners.
Local or general, every election is the celebration of democracy regardless of who won. We need to celebrate our new democratic achievement in peace and look forward to happier days.