Politics in Turkey is no longer a matter of consistency, but an art of timing.
Knowing when to be hard and when to be soft... Even doing both on the same day if possible.
In the morning, Devlet Bahçeli came out and criticized Özgür Özel.
Not just like that; expressions that have long passed the limit of political criticism and turned into direct personality analysis...
“Eclipse of reason”, “pathological case”, “disgrace”... The list goes on and on.
Then it's evening.
Later on the same day, on the same political stage, this time with a completely different tone:
“May your Kandil be blessed, let's be united, let's strengthen our brotherhood...”
You can't help but think:
Was the daytime message from another country, or was the evening message sent to another planet?
This is no longer a classic political contradiction.
This is the same character appearing in two different roles on the same day.
On the one hand, a language that feeds on harshness and seeks to discredit others;
On the other hand, a discourse that reminds us of social peace, unity and solidarity.
The problem is that these two languages no longer neutralize each other.
On the contrary, the more they are juxtaposed, the more visible they become.
Because the call for unity looks like a “goodwill polish” sprinkled over the divisive language used throughout the day.
And what emerges from under the polish is the familiar picture that everyone sees but no one is surprised by:
Toughness is at a premium, softness is an obligatory announcement at the end of the day.
Perhaps the real issue is not what politicians say.
The point is that these two contrasting languages no longer seem strange to anyone.
Because politics in Turkey has long turned into this:
First break it, then say “let's not break it”.
First get tough, then call for “unity”.
And most importantly:
Know that no one is really going to ask, “How is this happening?”.
That is exactly the point.
This is no longer an inconsistency;
a habitual order.