Mehmet Ali Birand - English
Mehmet Ali Birand - English
Mehmet Ali Birand - EnglishYazarın Tüm Yazıları

The prime minister behaves like a wild leader

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a very interesting communication strategy. If studied carefully you’ll notice almost always the same picture. What would a leader of an administration normally do? Constantly talk about what they’re doing. They would mention numbers and stress what is being done to better the country, even if it is troublesome. They would always be in defense against the opposition and always stress that they are right and the opposition wrong. What would opposition leaders do? They would always complain.

They would talk about what they would do or change if they became the administration. They would view the administration as an enemy, always attack and give them the stick. They would apply tactics of revolting, rebellious leaders. They would make up targets for themselves. They would search for their rights with a crowd of people supporting them. Watch closely, Prime Minister Erdoğan has the same attitude.

Erdoğan plays the role of a leader of the oppressed
He is in a position of a rebellious leader searching for his right. He makes a point of a "rebellious" profile. If looked upon from the outside, he seems like a leader without any defense, struggling to survive. You’d think he is not the leader of the administration using the state’s power and leaning his back against an army of media but a leader who behaves like the representative of the oppressed and aggrieved. During the 2007 general elections Erdoğan screamed the place down. He used the 367 Decision during the presidential elections and TSK’s announcement on April 27 very well and achieved an important part of votes due to this approach. Now he pursues almost the same politics.

Like an opposition leader he blames the CHP. He criticizes briskly whenever he gets the opportunity. He slams them down. Nowadays he selected a new target: Doğan Yayın Holding (Doğan Media Group). With an attitude of a rebellious leader who experienced injustice he complains about papers that criticize him and journalists who act in the natural course of their occupation. He does this so naturally that people who don’t know what’s going on get the impression of a "Poor AKP leader who cannot free himself from injustice and thus rebels." Also 40 percent of his supporters are comprised of the press that he calls "party media" and support the AKP unconditionally.

Besides, I have never seen an administration before that could with this tactic increase its votes. Moreover, our society seems to like it. Rallies exult and the rebelling leader is applauded. The prime minister by drawing a portrait of an innocent, ill-treated leader presents a successful campaign.

Opposition and media perform their natural duties
Now you could say, "Isn’t it true that the opposition and the media ill-treat the AKP?" This would be my answer: The opposition’s duty is to criticize the administration and voice wrongdoings. Everywhere in the world this game is played this way. Their reason for being is to oppose and criticize. The media is read or watched because of its opposition. Those who caress the administration won’t have readers or people watching them.

If I was to summarize, everything that the prime minister shows reaction to is the duty of the media and the opposition. They are formed for this purpose and function. The reason for their existence is not barbarity but to criticize and report in the name of the people. And that is the same as everywhere in the world. I wonder if this attitude of the prime minister will continue. And I wonder if he will even go further. Who will he appoint an enemy in the general elections two years from now? Whom will he fight? I’m sure he’ll make up another subject or entity and come before us as the oppressed leader. He will again play the role of a rebellious leader and shout from the rallies.

Only if anybody believes him...
Yazarın Tüm Yazıları