Al Nassr crash out as Kawasaki Frontale reach AFC Champions League Elite final    Saudi and Jordanian foreign ministers discuss Gaza situation    HR Ministry approves regulations for job ads and interviews in private sector    Will US tariff hikes affect Saudi Arabia? Kingdom largely insulated as oil exports remain exempt and non-oil sectors gain a pricing edge    Mataf nearly empty as entry to Makkah restricted to Hajj visa holders    Cinema revenues account for SR845.6 million in 2024 17 Saudi films among 504 films screened    Saudi Transplant Congress discusses scientific advancements and innovations on organ donation and transplantation    Mawani and Alissa Universal Motors sign agreement worth SR300 million to establish Logistics Zone at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam    4 Chinese nationals arrested in Makkah for promoting fake Hajj campaigns    Saudi Arabia urges India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions    Trump congratulates Canada's Carney as they agree to meet in 'near future'    Sánchez vows to uncover reasons behind massive Iberian power outage    Al-Khereiji at BRICS: Saudi Arabia a reliable and neutral partner in endeavors for de-escalating tensions    Al Ahli stun Al Hilal to reach AFC Champions League Elite final    Saudi market shows resilience in Q1 2025 despite global volatility: Report    SR200,000 reward for each player of the Saudi club winning AFC Champions League title    William and Kate celebrate anniversary on Isle of Mull    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Nationalist leader's weakening grip poses challenge for Erdogan
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 06 - 2016

As he battles to cling to power after nearly two decades as leader of Turkey's nationalist opposition, Devlet Bahceli is arguably more important to the future of Turkish politics than ever before.
The dour 68-year old, who took over the leadership of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in 1997, has done little to move it from the political margins ever since, its popularity declining over the years despite growing nationalist sentiment.
But as he fights an increasingly bitter leadership challenge in the twilight of his career, Bahceli has been thrust center stage in the main political saga of the day: President Tayyip Erdogan's effort to accumulate greater powers.
Should he stay, support for the MHP could drop to the point that it is forced from parliament, all but guaranteeing Erdogan the backing he needs for a referendum on changing the constitution and forging a stronger presidency.
Should he be ousted, his main rival Meral Aksener could take over, a 59-year old woman seen by pollsters as having the mettle needed to revitalize the MHP and increase its support. That could make Erdogan's ambitions harder to push through parliament. "Some time ago a Bahceli victory was seen as definite, but now every possibility is there," said one source close to the ruling AK Party, which was founded by Erdogan and is watching the leadership battle in the MHP with increasing trepidation.
Bahceli appears on the back foot. His supporters have tried to block a special party congress called for June 19 by several hundred MHP members at which he could be ousted, but Turkey's court of appeals has ruled it can go ahead.
Hakan Bayrakci, head of pollster SONAR, said Aksener, who served as interior minister in 1996-97, would have the support of around 750 of the 1,241 delegates, enough to force him out.
But Bahceli's allies are fighting a rearguard action, launching an investigation by the MHP's Central Disciplinary Board — which has the power to ban members from the party — into Aksener and three other challengers.
"Our dissident colleagues deserve a punishment for their activities against the party. The board may prevent their candidacy (in a leadership bid)," said one senior MHP official loyal to the veteran leader.
Bahceli himself has said the party can go ahead with a congress in July at which he will stand again for the leadership. By then, the disciplinary board may have ruled, but a second Bahceli ally said he would still be taking a risk.
"He risks losing his seat by taking the decision to go to the congress," the ally said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of undermining Bahceli's position.
‘Inevitable despotism'
Pollsters estimate that should Bahceli hang on, support for the MHP could drop to below the 10 percent threshold needed for representation in parliament, down from a peak of 18 percent in 1999 and from 12 percent at the last elections in November.
That could prompt Erdogan to call a parliamentary election and strengthen the majority of the ruling AK Party by enough to guarantee support for a referendum on constitutional change.
Of all of Turkey's opposition parties, the MHP is the most likely to have some sympathy for Erdogan's ambitions. The AKP also has a deeply nationalist strain, and the two parties have of late been on the same page when it comes to crushing by force a Kurdish militant insurgency in Turkey's southeast.


Clic here to read the story from its source.