MIDEAST MIRROR 05.06.15, SECTION C (TURKEY & IRAN)

From today’s Turkish press

SUNDAY GENERAL ELECTIONS: Oral Calislar believes that common sense will prevail in centre-left Radikal: "I believe that on elections day (June 7th) society’s common-sense will contribute to a normalizing process. The HDP [pro-Kurdish leftist alliance] is at the point of passing the 10% electoral threshold comfortably. The parties that we can describe as 'pro-status quo' have not witnessed any significant increase in support. One of the biggest reasons why the interest in the HDP has increased in the west of Turkey, is the climate of peace; that is to say, the peace process, which gradually seems to have become permanent."

Mehmet Tezkan argues that the elections will address more than the parliament’s future in centrist Milliyet: "The fact that the HDP will pass the 10% threshold and the AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party] will decrease to 40% makes a coalition inevitable. In a way, the election will answer the regime problem as well. With its votes, the electorate will declare what kind of a regime it wants to be ruled by. On Sunday night we will see whether the people will opt for a presidential or a parliamentary system."

Ali Sirmen hopes for a national coalition in secular, Kemalist Cumhuriyet: "What will allow Turkey to become much more manageable is a national democratic coalition. This formula is possible with the inclusion of all parties. That entails a national coalition in which the AKP, the CHP [Republican People's Party], MHP [Nationalist Movement Party] and the HDP (that we predict will pass the threshold) agree on a constitution that is not tailored to fit any one person but the country, resolve the problem of judiciary, open the door to democratic negotiations over the Kurdish problem. In this coalition, all parties will be on one side, and Mr. Erdogan will be on the other."

Mumtazer Turkone expects the AKP to lose in moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-Gulen Zaman: "If the HDP passes the threshold, its success will be due to Erdogan. Taking an anti-Erdogan stand has been the main dynamic behind its rise in Turkey’s Western regions. Erdogan is indirectly fuelling the HDP’s campaign. This is a situation where sheer craftiness will be defeated by common sense. And its cause is political blindness; the kind of blindness caused by being in power." 

Yasar Taskin Koc sees a repeated pattern in moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-government Yeni Safak: "We consider every election as something new and are always deceived in this manner. The same things happen all the time; everyone’s place and alliances are clear. After the election, we forget all this. But as the next election approaches, we will once again know who stands with whom." 

Nazli Ilicak decries the status quo in centrist, Bugun: "Let us assume that the HDP does not pass the threshold and the AKP wins a majority. Even if a change in the constitution does not happen, a de-facto presidential system is already being practiced in Turkey. Moreover, the government has adopted such a blunt attitude that those it dislikes are soon sent to prison and there is heavy pressure on the media"

Hakan Aksay addresses the ruling party directly on independent Internet T24: "In this contest, the first round will be enough for us. We do not want you [AKP] on the ground in the second round. We will show that with our votes as well on June 7th: We are fed up with you. Thirteen years are enough. We have become tired. Go now!"

The Iranian press does not appear on Friday

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