Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli had attended the martyr funeral at Kocatepe Mosque prior to their coalition talks.
The martyr's grieving mother had said to the leaders: “Please, unite and find a solution.”
As if the martyr's mother said the exact opposite, in response to all the suggestions presented to him, MHP leader Bahçeli said, “No.”
I am going to share with you the information I obtained regarding the backstage details of the Davutoğlu-Bahçeli meeting. But first, I want to try and find an answer to the question “What is going to happen now?” which is a matter of curiosity for all.
Prime Minister Davutoğlu will be gathering on Wednesday the Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK), his party's most authorized decision board. Following these negotiations, either on the same day or at the latest by Thursday, he is going to return the task to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In this case, the 45-day period given as per articles 114 and 116 of the Constitution will expire in three days.
In the meantime, since it does not seem possible to form a coalition government that couldn't be formed in 42 days in three days only, rather than assigning the task of forming the government to Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, efforts to form an election government will be kick started as of Monday.
In the meantime, we are going to witness arguments that the task should have been assigned to Kılıçdaroğlu.
In an interview with the CHP leader, I had asked him, “If Davutoğlu cannot succeed in forming a government, would you go to the Palace if Mr. President invites you to assign the task to you?” Kılıçdaroğlu's response was, “I hope the need for that does not arise.”
Erdoğan, who formed three governments during his term as prime minister, because politics was unable to produce a solution, will thus form his first government after becoming president.
Of course, this will not be an Erdoğan government; it is going to be an election government that will help enable the national will once again.
This is a first in the history of Turkey. However, at a point where politics fails to produce a solution, ambiguity turns into chaos. As a result of this situation that was frequent prior to Sept. 12, the “early election” provision, meaning the “insurance of the regime”, was added to the Constitution. If only there was such a provision in the Constitution before Sept. 12.
In 1979, at a time when Turkey had turned into a fire ground, while a president could not be elected due to never ending rounds in Parliament, Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel suggested a snap election to main opposition party leader Bülent Ecevit, but the suggestion was rejected by Ecevit. The result was the Sept. 12 coup.
When Prime Minister Davutoğlu arrived for his meeting with MHP leader Bahçeli, it had started off on a cold note but ended well.
Bahçeli, who did not greet the prime minister at the door, saw him out all the way to the door at the end of the meeting.
Such that, upon a signal that came 10 minutes after the talks began, almost all television channels were going to start broadcasting live, “talks are over.” Since İsmet Yılmaz's visit ahead of the Parliament speaker election lasted 4 minutes, nobody found it strange if the meeting would last 10 minutes.
Regarding the prime minister's first visit on July 14, Bahçeli had said, “The Parliament speakership visit lasted 3 minutes but what was the result? İsmet Yılmaz was elected Parliament speaker.” Now I am not going to say that if you want a result from negotiating with Bahçeli, you should have had a meeting that lasted a few minutes rather than a long one.
At that meeting, Bahçeli had said one other thing. Upon criticisms regarding the reconciliation process, Prime Minister Davutoğlu shared the information in the possession of the government and explained that Turkey was the one that started the reconciliation process at a time when the Middle East is being redesigned and there are attempts to re-form our borders. When the prime minister suggested a coalition, Bahçeli made an ironic comment, saying “Form three parties as those who defend reconciliation; the country will become divide if we entered [the coalition].”
The irony Bahçeli made that day is now becoming a reality. Through Bahçeli himself.
According to the Constitution, Thursday, President Erdoğan is going to get an opinion from the Parliament speaker on Thursday or Friday, and he will assign Davutoğlu Monday to form the election government, as he has the highest number of deputies. Since the leading party's chairman is present, there is no expectation for somebody else to form the government.
Based on the number of deputies, Davutoğlu is going to ask the CHP, MHP and the HDP to give ministers to the Cabinet. The MHP had said it would not contribute a minister to a cabinet including the HDP. In response to the criticism that “by closing the door to all government combinations including the AK Party, you allowed the HDP to take place in the government at a time when martyr funerals continue to happen,” he said, “That is President Erdoğan's problem.” Who knows how much they can convince the public opinion, but the MHP is closing its doors to all options, and when there is a price to pay, he points to President Erdoğan.
Once upon a time, there was a comic book called “Mister No.” The MHP leader's attitude is no different; “Mr. No Bahçeli.”
As someone who followed Alparslan Türkeş during part of my career, Türkeş was constructive. He would become involved during times of crisis, meet with the president and other leaders, providing support for constructive formulas. Bahçeli is the complete opposite. His intention is to make impossible that which is possible.
The talks between Davutoğlu and Bahçeli lasted 2.5 hours, but it is apparent that the meeting was one that could have ended in the first minute. The prime minister provides detailed information regarding the fight against terrorism. In the meantime Bahçeli asks no questions. It is almost as though he isn't curious about what has been done in the fight against the PKK. The prime minister finished having his say. Bahçeli says, “According to our four conditions, a coalition with you does not seem like a realist option.”
He doesn't even see it necessary to discuss the four conditions with the prime minister. I noticed something about the prime minister during the coalition talks. He is extremely patient. Despite this, Davutoğlu gives his opinion on the four conditions. He says President Erdoğan cannot be included in the coalition deal.
Davutoğlu was sincere in his efforts to form a coalition. Even the CHP leader, Kılıçdaroğlu, did his bit. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) which was sabotaged by the PKK was long eliminated, but the MHP persistently chose to steer away from reconciliation.
Had “Mr. No Bahçeli” not insisted on this approach, an AK Party-MHP coalition could have been possible.
What prevented the Nationalists from a coalition partnership was the MHP leader's uncompromising attitude.
Now all paths lead to the ballot box.
Mr. No Bahçeli
