Organising is the only way out: What will the opposition do until the ballot box arrives?

The government has embarked on a path with no deviation or return. It has no options such as stopping, slowing down, or changing course. It must increase pressure, convince society that change is impossible, and drive people into despair. It is even striving to firmly establish the belief that it cannot be defeated through a normal process. It aims to lock the political agenda within the opposition's field, ensuring the game is always played there.

So far, it has succeeded. Politics has been fixated on the candidacy for an election whose date remains uncertain. Moreover, the main subject of the candidacy debate is not Erdoğan, who once again seeks to run despite violating the constitution, but rather the candidate the opposition will put forward.

İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stated that the total prison sentence sought in cases against him has reached 25 years, adding, "The person behind the effort to sideline me in politics is clear: Mr. President." In doing so, he reiterated a fact that everyone already knows.

Meanwhile, the palace continues to insist, "Do not involve me in this matter". However, neither Erdoğan’s statement "Who receives a political ban and under what circumstances is not my concern in the first place" nor Fahrettin Altun’s claim that, "The ongoing legal proceedings in our independent judiciary are constantly being linked to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, by opposition politicians. This is both a great slander against our President and an attempt to obstruct judicial processes" change the reality that the palace does not want İmamoğlu as a candidate.

While the palace shifts the political agenda onto the opposition’s field through lawsuits, it simultaneously makes it clear through the judiciary who will not be the opposition’s candidate.

AS THE REGIME WEAKENS...

While these power struggles unfold at the top of politics, the country is in a completely different state of mind. People want to escape the deep crisis and suffocating atmosphere they are living in. They know exactly who is responsible for the situation. The vast majority of society no longer believes in the presidential system, its practices, or even in a future where it remains. And this is not a new sentiment. Since its approval through a controversial election, opposition to the regime has been steadily growing.

As of today, we are witnessing a system that is eroded, and on the verge of disintegration. All recent public opinion polls confirm this trend. Opposition to the regime goes beyond mere self-preservation, with the number of dissenters increasing day by day.Top of Form

Yet, for some reason, this undeniable reality is not up for discussion. Instead, the public's anger toward the regime and its demand for change are being made invisible, while the only debate that dominates the agenda is about potential candidates. This, above all, should be counted as a victory for the ruling power.

So, let’s ask the pressing question once again: Why can't—or won't—the parliamentary opposition, especially the CHP, develop a practice that goes beyond internal candidate debates and focuses on the regime and its consequences?

CHP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın signaled a shift to a new phase by stating,"History will witness that politics cannot be shaped through courthouse corridors." However, no concrete steps have been taken so far to indicate how this transition will unfold. The focus is now on the primary election scheduled for March 23 and its aftermath.

Against the government’s sweeping attacks, the CHP has so far produced only a single response: "the candidate must be announced quickly." But can this lone, without a before or after be enough to weather the storm? We will see.

The real question is: Should the opposition’s entire horizon be limited to this? The overwhelming majority of society has already taken a stance against the regime and is ready to mobilize. Even the government recognizes this. That’s why we wake up every morning to news of another police operation, another detention, another lawsuit. The climate dictated by the palace has spread from courtrooms to university campuses, from factories to media outlets, an attempt to put the entire country under siege.

AKP’s Elitaş announced that the "rescheduled" election date is set for November 2027. This is likely their plan. But the public does not have the patience to wait until then or any close date. People are demanding solutions to their most urgent problems. At the very least, they expect a fight for them.

It may sound repetitive, but it bears repeating: The only force capable of pulling the country out of this dark tunnel is the organized will of millions against one-man rule. There is no other path to salvation.

Note: Note: This article is translated from the original article entitled Sandık gelinceye kadar muhalefet ne yapacak? published in BirGün newspaper on February 18, 2025.