Producing a leader for Turkey from the CHP's infighting

In the second great upheaval in the CHP after a 5-month interval, the main question this time is whether a leader can emerge.

The atmosphere of unity and togetherness that initially formed around the name of Kılıçdaroğlu, who was made CHP leader in May thanks to Baykal being "deposed" by means of a taping, was not enough to give Kılıçdaroğlu the quality of a leader. The weight of the debt of gratitude that those who made Kılıçdaroğlu leader through the tape intrigue constantly made him feel, over time crushed Kılıçdaroğlu and left him. It could not have been possible for a leader to emerge under these conditions from Kılıçdaroğlu, who at every opportunity was reminded of a debt too large to pay with his own means and in return for which the entire field of politics was mortgaged. It quickly became inevitable that the project in this form would be perceived not as a real leader project but at best as a "leader-looking trustee" project.

Indeed, this heavy story of tribute and tutelage, rapidly put on display, also offered extremely favorable opportunities for a leader to show himself by making a good breakthrough. For Kılıçdaroğlu rightly to oppose the "chief" who had deposed his predecessor and brought him into being, this chief himself was doing all the necessary wrongs and giving all the grounds for revolt. A feeling that the chief's oppression of the leader was now unbearable had begun to form strongly not only outside the party but also inside it.

There was a scene exactly as Freud described, in which "killing the father" had become unavoidable for the child to bring himself into being. The child has no other way left to prove himself. The "strong father" who dominates the "mother" party is the biggest obstacle to the child's finding his personality.

Moreover, if a strong leader was going to emerge from Kılıçdaroğlu, this leadership could neither have come into being nor risen on top of a tape intrigue that wounded consciences and made one bite one's nails. A leader must be nourished by a rightful struggle and victory against another strong leader whose injustice has been clearly understood. There is not enough time for a decisive victory against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the "strong evil" typology has not yet sufficiently emerged in the person of Erdoğan. And even if it had, the CHP is in a hurry before the elections.

When it has been sufficiently understood that, after so many years, it is not possible to score points against "Tayyib" even by calling him "Recep bey," Kılıçdaroğlu needed to turn to a more "possible" stage to prove himself. There could be no better place for that stage than inside the CHP. The finest of the Empire of Fear that has been voiced against the AK Parti government for years exists in sufficient measure inside the party. A leader who passes his first test by toppling that empire can be considered to have proved himself in toppling other empires of fear as well.

The question of who will prevail in the Sav and Kılıçdaroğlu war is not worth the trouble of answering. Nothing is missing for Kılıçdaroğlu's victory.

The supporting media is already hailing this breakthrough fervently as "the birth of a leader." The high judiciary, which until now has behaved as a backyard, a reserve force or a supporting force against the opposition, has this time set into motion to give birth to the charismatic leader the party needs. Perhaps the same forces could not be used well enough, or were not effective, in destroying the other side, but sending a registered, return-receipt letter was enough for the operation inside the CHP. Thus the letter's reaching its destination was also ensured.

I have no doubt that the organization or delegate structure, shown as Sav's greatest advantage, will soon find its place and will put Sav in the position Baykal was in five months ago. Even Sav's seeing them, or presenting them, as partridges in his bag can be expected to work as a factor in gathering their will around Kılıçdaroğlu.

The attitude of the names who refused to enter Kılıçdaroğlu's new management list on the first day of the fight in the CHP is a sufficiently instructive sign in this regard. The heavy uncertainty about how the balances will take shape makes choosing difficult, but at the moment the fog begins to clear we see everyone's attitude move toward the typical tendencies of the mainstream. In a short time the necessary cadres were easily formed. Inside a CHP whose new Secretary General is Suheyl Batum, after a while no one will have any hesitation left about pledging allegiance.

To the CHP members who try to find consolation by positioning themselves insistently and with great excitement "against the culture of allegiance" in the face of the demoralizing image of the conflict they are living through, I will not hesitate to say something, if it will not come as bitter news. I do not know how they understand or code it, but allegiance is a typical process in gathering around a leader, and it takes place in exactly this way.