Is Davutoglu facing a 'mission impossible'?
The ambitious Ahmet Davutoglu may find it difficult to become President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan's “puppet” in his new role as Turkey's prime minister.
“Prime Minister Davutoglu and the Revolution in Turkey …” is the title of the Aug. 22 article by Ibrahim Karagul, editor-in-chief of the daily Yeni Safak, which is considered one of the most dedicated mouthpieces of the government.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will carry the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to the June 2015 general elections. The AKP, which has been addicted to electoral victories since 2002 under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for the first time will be tested with its new chair, who, despite being handpicked, does not have the same level of charisma and appeal as his predecessor.
Karagul is very confident of Turkey's future with President Erdogan and Prime Minister Davutoglu. He wrote: “New Turkey is not a slogan, nor a political show. New Turkey is a project of a complete redesign after a 100-year hiatus. It is the beginning of the rebuilding of a new country.” Karagul ended this ambitious introduction by noting: "A strong president, a strong prime minister, a strong Cabinet and strong popular support will be the foundation of a powerful Turkey. … Davutoglu will be the main driving force in this grand project behind Erdogan. Davutoglu's government will not be run-of-the-mill. We are talking of a structure that will complete the revolution of Turkey.”
On the same day, influential opposition daily Cumhuriyet carried commentary by veteran foreign news editor Ceyda Karan. It was written to initiate polemics with Karagul. Her article on the front page of Cumhuriyet was titled: “The Sultan's Grand Vizier: A Ruin Left Behind and 49 Hostages.” It is clear that “sultan” refers to Erdogan, and "grand vizier" refers to the new prime minister, Davutoglu, who as foreign minister left behind debris and hostages in the hands of the Islamic State (IS).
