Is this the end of Turkish secularism?
Radical Islamist ideas are not only winning out in Turkey, but getting cheerful approval from the last remnants of the secular establishment.
The Hagia Sophia opened for Muslim prayer on July 24. As the world grapples with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s abrupt decision, many opposition figures have fallen in line to congratulate the decision.
One can understand the enthusiasm of the Islamist Felicity Party or Erdogan’s coalition partner Nationalist Movement Party, whose bases share strong feelings about the museum turning into a mosque. However, other parties’ reactions are more surprising.
Recent polls indicate only 20% of Good Party voters and 21.8% of left-leaning Republican People’s Party (CHP) voters approve of the decision, along with 33% of the voter base of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party’s (HDP). The HDP’s elected officials are the only ones who dared speak words of caution as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) promotes a monolithic expression of identity.
Muharrem Ince, a 2018 CHP presidential candidate, announced he would join the first Friday prayers if he is invited.
