This is a shortened translation of journalist and Ankara correspondent (Ms.) Nuray Babacan, who is known for her scoops from AKP, though she writes for pro-opposition Gazete Duvar (Duvar Daily):
The reports prepared to investigate the reasons for the defeat in the local elections and presented to the AKP administration are striking. Voluminous research conducted and the reports prepared, in addition to the party’s loss of votes, also contain sociological analyzes such as how AKP evolved in public perception, views of citizen panels and how President Tayyip Erdoğan is perceived by the society. Most results concur that Erdoğan no longer has his famous teflon armor, that is the common practice of AKP voters blaming the mistakes on the party while extolling Erdoğan is over.
SETA REPORT crates shock waves
SETA, which works as the AKP’s think tank and is used for young talent as a stepping stone for appointments to the bureaucracy and all civil service assignments, has completed its months-long research. The report, which aims not only to identify the problems of the citizens but also to reveal the problems of the party, was recently presented to a group including President Erdoğan and the leaders of the party. We have included here some striking headlines from the report, which includes the reasons why the party lost votes and broke away from society.
Editor’s Note: The office of the Presidency has denied the existence of the report in very vague terms, but PA Turkey has evidence from renown journalists Mr Fehmi Koru and Mr Ertuğrul Ozkok that it exists.
SENSE OF JUSTICE DAMAGED
One of the most important issues among the headings of the report was the damage to the sense of justice in public. According to the report, which emphasizes that the sense of justice has been damaged not only because courts and judiciary are perceived as in the thrall of AKP, but in all areas. That is the sense of justice has disappeared in bureaucracy and civil service recruitment. The serious drawbacks of successful and meritorious people not being able to reach the place they deserve and creating a new elite the only attribute of which is closeness to the party have emerged as significant problems in the public eye.
FACTIONS IN THE PARTY ARE DANGEROUS
Another important topic was the problem of factionalism within the party, teaming up against each other and forming echo-chamber cliques, which is nowadays also discussed openly in AKP circles. The reason for this fragmented state in the party was shown as everyone producing gossip about other groups, preparing files for blackmail, and working to discredit and render dysfunctional the rivals. It was stated that this significantly affected the motivation in the party.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
Another assessment was that people’s lives were deeply hurt the economic crisis. Inflation, high cost of living, the impoverishment of retirees and low-income people, injustice in income distribution prop up frequently in the SETA report. It was stated that this resulted in segments of society moving away from the party and the results were seen in the local elections.
ERDOĞAN IS NOW THE TARGET
The most important determination made as a result of all this is that the emergent social psychology has eroded Erdoğan’s immunity from blame. It turned out that the feeling of holding only the party management responsible for the negative conditions has disappeared, and Erdoğan is now also held responsible for the results.
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