Skip to main content

Erdogan takes on Central Bank, judiciary

Erdogan needs to subjugate the Central Bank and the judiciary if he wants to win the presidency.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara April 8, 2014. Turkey's first directly elected president will be a more powerful figure than the current largely ceremonial role, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was quoted on Tuesday as saying, boosting expectations he may run for the post in August. Erdogan is barred by the rules of his ruling AK Party from standing for a fourth term as prime minister and
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, April 8, 2014. — REUTERS/Umit Bektas

On Tuesdays, the political leaders of Turkey gather their parliamentarians in meetings in the parliament building and lecture them. There, they feel free to insult other parties and engage in fiery polemics. Many TV channels cover Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s addresses live. Key segments of the speeches of the other three parties' leaders are also covered.

The print media doesn’t have to go looking for news on Tuesdays, for the Tuesday speeches provide ample content to fill the country’s political agenda for a week.

For a long time, Erdogan has used his outstanding oratory skills to launch attacks over this forum. The targets of Erdogan’s toxic language determine the short-term political agenda of the country.

On April 15, the judiciary was the target of the prime minister’s fury. What most recently enraged him was the release of six police officers and two military personnel who had been arrested for stopping a number of trucks operated by Turkish National Intelligence (MIT), allegedly en route to Syria to assist the rebels there.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

Continue reading this exclusive analysis

Original reporting and analysis unavailable elsewhere. Subscribe to AL-MONITOR to read this story and access everything we publish