The Socialist 27 July 2016

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Turkey: no to military rule, no to Erdoğan's rule

For a workers' alternative!

Workers' and left organisations in Turkey must resist all forms of capitalist repression photo Sosyalist Alternatif (CWI Turkey) (Click to enlarge)

The recent failed military coup d'état in Turkey has been followed by a massive purge of the state machinery and assault on democratic rights by right-wing president Recep Erdoğan. By arresting thousands of people, sacking thousands of state employees, imposing a three month 'state of emergency' and mobilising his AKP members, Erdoğan is ruthlessly accelerating his drive towards an authoritarian regime. Workers' and left organisations must mobilise to resist these draconian moves and fight for democratic rights. The Socialist carries an abridged version of an earlier article from Sosyalist Alternatif, the Socialist Party's Turkish counterpart.

On the night 15 July, a section of middle-ranking generals, ex-generals and colonels of the Turkish armed forces tried to seize power and overthrow the AKP government and president Erdoğan.

The military plotters took control of state radio and TV and the biggest private TV channels, from which they broadcasted a declaration announcing the takeover against the 'illegitimate, corrupt and anti-secular regime of Erdoğan and the AKP'. They declared a curfew and martial law, arguing in favour of a new constitution.

Competing wings of the state machine were engaged in violent confrontations all through the night, with the police apparatus remaining largely loyal to Erdoğan.

The president and prime minister both made appeals to the people to resist the coup attempt. Calls from the mosques were also issued to rally behind the government. A few thousand people, mostly right-wing Islamists and AKP core supporters, poured onto the streets as a result.

Planes and helicopters from the army shot at demonstrations in the two main cities. By Saturday morning, more than 150 state forces on both sides and over 50 civilians had been killed.

The majority of people and all political parties opposed a return to military rule.

Most of the army's ranks are military conscripts who were not ready to line up behind the violence organised by the coup plotters - who are entrenched privileged officers, interested in taking power for themselves. Hence the coup did not find the sufficient social and political base to be carried through.

Growing crisis

A growing political crisis in Turkey has intensified since last year's elections in the context of a mounting crisis in the economy and narrowing social support for Erdoğan's regime. The AKP government has used the judiciary and military apparatuses during this growing political deadlock, suppressing opposition voices inside and outside the parliament, and using the army to crush Kurdish opposition.

The ruling party's attempt to force through a constitutional change towards a presidential system is part of the same increasing authoritarian tendency. This repression provided the tools that the coup plotters turned against the AKP itself.

Both sides are only offering a variant of capitalist dictatorial rule over the majority, one in civilian clothes and the other in military uniform.

These methods cannot solve the crisis gripping the country, but only exacerbate it, and will provoke bigger turmoil in the future.

The failed coup will now be used by Erdoğan to concentrate power within his own trusted circle, and to clamp down further on democratic rights. This is already being seen, with many judges, civil servants, academics and teachers arbitrarily removed from their posts and the government's intention to reintroduce the death penalty.

These measures are presented to counteract the military plotters, but will be conveniently in place to counteract future struggles against the regime.

People's resistance to military takeovers cannot be left in the hands of the rotten AKP regime. Mass united action by the labour movement and the left needs to be built - independently of the ruling party's staged mobilisations, which have occasionally used violence against political opponents and offer no alternative.

The workers' movement and left organisations need to urgently organise self-defence committees against the violence used by both sides. A third political pole around the working class, the poor and the youth needs to be built against all attacks on democratic and political rights, the state offensive against the Kurdish people, and the neoliberal policies defended by both factions of the capitalist class.

The growing, multi-sided crisis engulfing Turkey is a reflection of the crisis of capitalism on a world scale. Only a struggle for socialist change, linked to workers' solidarity internationally, can put an end to the chaos and violence hitting Turkey.