Notebook #6

Lots of Turkish politics, the latest crime wave, Turkey's deindustrialization, Kurdish nationalism, and more

Hi folks,

In the “Notebook” emails, I share with you short reviews of the things I’ve been reading or watching, as well as quick bits of political analysis.

I’m changing the format a bit through. So far, I’ve made the first item available to everyone, and put the rest behind the paywall.

I’m no longer going to do that. Starting with, “Notebook #7” only paid subscribers will get these in their mailbox. If you’re a free subscriber, you won’t get them at all.

This means less clutter for free subscribers and more exclusive content for paid subscribers.

Left: God’s greetings, brother Eray. What kind of car is this? Right: my dear Orhan, this is Google’s driverless car. Horse: first they got rid of us, now it’s your turn Orhaaan! The noose is tightening Orhaaan!

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Özgür Özel and the CHP

There’s much that could be said about CHP chairman Özgür Özel, and the way he has been behaving. There are times when he’s been very deferential to Erdoğan, fulfilling the role of the “loyal opposition” the president has long wanted to see in the CHP. Then there are times he swings back, disparaging the regime and aggravating its reis. I say “regime” here not in a derogatory way — this is a new frame of government, and the CHP chairman is showing that he is fine with it.

I’m not sure that this is going to work well for the regime, even if Özel bends to their will. I’m not a well-connected person by any means, but even I have been hearing rumors lately, about how Erdoğan has compromat on Özel, or how he’s simply bought and paid for. I won’t repeat specifics, and anyways, it’s irrelevant whether these things are true. What’s important is whether people think they are, and they seem to think so, otherwise the rumors wouldn’t circulate with quite the velocity that they are.