Turkey’s Old-Guard Opposition Fights to Surf Wave of Unrest
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The protesters who occupied central Istanbul and filled streets and squares nationwide in the past month have made it clear what they’re against: Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The country’s main opposition party admits it has yet to offer them something to support.
A picture has been circulating among activists on social media since the unrest began last month. It shows Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition, and nationalist chief Devlet Bahceli, and the caption reads: “We’re not here for you. We’re here because you couldn’t do it.” Kilicdaroglu said in an interview that the protests show his party erred by ignoring Turkey’s youth and their demands for change.