In the aftermath of the March 31 local elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AKP convened to discuss the party’s defeat, leading to the unexpected leak of a ‘pirate text’ detailing internal discussions. What does this “pirate text” mean? What are Erdoğan’s assessments about the election? (Photo: Presidency)
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan convened the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Central Executive Committee (MYK) on April 2, two days after March 31 local elections. The main agenda item of the meeting was naturally anticipated to be the ruling party’s electoral defeat. However the information shared afterwards about the meeting has surprised even the most experienced journalists who are accustomed to AKP’s strict media relations.
Journalists received “behind-the-scenes” information about what was discussed in the MYK meeting, which can be described as a “pirate text” sent from AKP media units to the news media which they are in relation with.
The text included information about Erdoğan’s acceptance of defeat, his reasons for the election results from his perspective and those he held responsible. I will address them shortly.
This text, shared with some news media from AKP channels “anonymously” was quickly picked up by TV broadcasts and internet sites, especially by pro-government outlets.
However, about 30-40 minutes later, another text, allegedly from the Presidency of Communications this time, was sent to the news outlets.
The reason I say “allegedly” is that such a text cannot be found on the official page or social media accounts of the Presidency of Communications; it was shared as if to leave no trace. As if they say “you could share this information as if you have obtained it by yourself.”
“Arrogance” censorship to the pirate text
Whether it came from AKP or the Presidency of Communications channels, there seemed to be no difference at first glance between the two texts. However, upon a second comparative reading, the disparity in the second text became evident.
The first text contained the following section:
“At the meeting, Erdoğan, drew attention to the disease of arrogance and said ‘We are facing a problem that extends to provincial, district, and municipal organizations, our mayors, our members of parliament, and even the bureaucracy. However, the greatest enemy of a political party born from the heart of the people is to build walls between itself and the citizens. We will show our people that no one is untouchable in this party, regardless of their position.”
In the second “pirate” text, the text was transformed like this:
“Among the information received is that Erdoğan brought up the complaints from citizens at the MYK meeting and emphasized the importance of getting rid of and fighting against the negative attitudes seen in the party administration, provincial, district, and municipal organizations, mayors, deputies, and bureaucracy.”
There is a significant distinction between ‘disease of arrogance’ and ‘negative attitudes.’
You will recall that in our first election commentary on YetkinReport, we mentioned “arrogance” among the reasons for the AKP’s defeat; we thought along the same lines as Erdoğan.
Why was it deemed necessary?
Here, one might wonder: Why is the information generally obtained by journalists through their own efforts and sources about a closed meeting leaked to the media from a party, almost like a “pirate text”?
Apart from the interpretation that the election defeat shook the AKP, a few reasons can be listed:
- The AKP administration may want to say to journalists, “Here is your material, don’t dig any further”? The shared information may indeed be important, but it may aim to hide what else was discussed at the MYK meeting, and these pirate text(s) may have aimed to create a smokescreen.
- Erdoğan may not have wanted certain MYK members, who might lose their positions due to the election defeat, to share their perspectives with the media.
- Therefore, it is also possible to perceive this unprecedented practice as a kind of speech ban for AKP MYK members.
Erdoğan, until he identifies those responsible for the March 31 election defeat and takes the necessary steps from his perspective, does not want any sound to come out of the AKP except for what he permits; at least, this is what appears to be the case.
This time it’s not “foreign agents”
Among the reasons shared by Erdoğan to the party management as reasons for the AKP falling below the CHP in the March 31 election, there are no “foreign agents.”
Erdoğan shared a more realistic scene; I’m summarizing it:
- The cost of living,
- Deepening inflation, retirees’ complaints,
- Criticisms of trade with Israel (he said “we couldn’t explain Gaza”),
- “The disease of arrogance”,
- The race with the MHP in the elections.
Erdoğan said that Amasya, Kütahya, and Kırıkkale were taken by the CHP because of this last reason, and he gave the acquisition of Hatay from the CHP as an example of success.
“No one, including myself, can escape the responsibility of March 31,” said Erdoğan, and it is in both pirate texts.
So, if there are no foreign agents, who does he hold responsible?
According to his own list;
- Party organization,
- Headquarters,
- Candidates.
Now let’s look at these listed items and try to name them.
“Self-criticism”
Erdoğan’s process of “self-criticism” clearly indicates that some seats will be vacated in the AKP. Otherwise, if not, the atmosphere inside the board meeting would not be filtered through Erdoğan and projected outwardly with this pirate text method.
At the top of the list he mentioned is Erkan Kandemir, who heads the “organization” of the party. Although he is a close associate of Erdoğan, he is also one of the likely names from whom the bill can be taken.
Kandemir is also a member of the election team of the “Headquarters.” At the head of that team is Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala, who has been accused of “acting arrogantly” by AK trolls for two days. The other members are Ali İhsan Yavuz, the Head of Election Affairs, Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz, the Head of Local Administrations, and Hamza Dağ, the Head of Promotion and Media.
However, Hamza Dağ may not have been able to deal with the election process personally because he was the candidate for the Mayor of Izmir. Izmir was already a difficult test for the AKP, and although Dağ lost, he worked hard. But the real fiasco was in Istanbul with Murat Kurum and in Ankara with Turgut Altınok.
Purge time in AKP
So let’s say these names were suggested by the “Headquarters.” But does anyone not know that especially the candidates for Istanbul and Ankara were personally determined by Erdoğan?
On the other hand, it would be surprising for anyone who does not want to fall out of favor, or even be excommunicated, in the AKP MYK to dare to question the accuracy of Erdoğan’s decisions, even if he said “including myself.” That kind of internal democracy matters happens in the CHP, and in the most extreme ways.
Therefore, it is also possible to interpret these pirate text as the psychological preparation phase of Erdoğan’s intended punishment or purge operation in the AKP?
There could be a problem here: Erdoğan has already purged most of the experienced cadres around him. Who will he bring in to replace those he will purge by holding them accountable for the March 31 election defeat?
Anyway it is not our place to think about that.
