There are certain mistakes in Turkish politics that, as they are repeated, become normalized; and as they become normalized, they are legitimized. Conducting politics by leaning on the West, seeking approval from external centers, and presenting this under the guise of “democracy,” “international prestige,” or “universal values” is precisely such a mistake. This is not a tactical error, It is a clear break from the founding spirit of the Republic.
This rupture is neither new nor innocent. It began during the Ottoman Empire’s final century, continued amid aspirations for a mandate, was suppressed with the founding of the Republic, but has reared its head again at every opportunity It is a reflex to compromise with imperialism. Today, it is simply expressed using more elaborate words and a more “contemporary” language.
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel’s complaint that he has not received sufficient support from European leaders is not merely a diplomatic grievance. This is the result of long-standing mental surrender It is an expression of...
The same mindset can also be seen in the photos of Ekrem İmamoğlu with the Turkish Ambassador to the United Kingdom, in his messages directed at Western capitals, and in his eagerness to explain Turkish politics to the outside world.
The issue here isn't about individuals.
Issue, It is the direction.
Reputation Is Not Something You Ask For; It Is Something You Earn
Let's say that, as a politician, you're putting yourself in this helpless situation. Let's just chalk that up to a personal weakness.
Okay, Can’t you really see what has become of the reputation of the 102-year-old Republican People’s Party?
The Republican People’s Party is not a movement waiting at the gates of Western capitals. The CHP is the party of a state founded through the struggle against imperialism. Its prestige does not lie in meeting schedules; In Sakarya, in Dumlupınar, in Lausanne It is written.
Reputation isn't something you ask for. You don't go looking for it.
Reputation is carried quietly.
“A voice that complains, ”Why didn’t they consult with me?” is not the voice of the powerful; those seeking approval is its language. The political mind that founded the Republic does not see it as a problem not to be taken seriously; because it derives its legitimacy not from outside, but from, the will of the people He takes it.
The Sentence Formed in Brussels and Mental Collapse
The following statement made by Özgür Özel after he was unable to meet with European Council President António Costa in Brussels actually says it all:
“He’s someone I personally admire, but it’s unacceptable that we haven’t even had the chance to speak with him alone for five minutes.”
This sentence is not an expression of a diplomatic misstep. This sentence, It is the point at which the Republic’s self-confidence collapsed.
Expressing “admiration” for a European politician is incompatible with the founding spirit of the Republic. Politics is not about admiration; with equality and independence walks.
If the chairman of Atatürk’s party considers it “unacceptable” that he could not meet with a Council of Europe president for five minutes, then what is truly unacceptable here is this mindset. This language is not the language of a relationship between equals; it is the language of the center–periphery relationship. This is exactly the kind of language imperialism wants.
The Notebook Atatürk Closed in 1922
Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk decisively confronted this mindset a century ago. The following words he spoke from the rostrum of the Grand National Assembly in 1922 remain true to this day:
“What kind of independence is there that can be achieved through the plans of foreigners?”
This statement is not directed solely at the British, the French, or the Americans; to the local minds who pin their hopes on them is the guiding principle. For Atatürk, independence was not a matter of diplomatic sympathy; it was a It is the principle of existence and nonexistence.
The Republic was established not with support from the West, but in spite of the West. The moment this fact is forgotten, the Republic becomes nothing more than a mere symbol.
The Fairy Tale of the European Left and the Imperialist Reality
To regard social democratic parties in Europe as “natural allies” is the result of a lack of historical awareness. While the European left was building the welfare state in its own societies, the imperialist order prevailing in the rest of the world partner and manager has been.
The plundering of Africa, the fragmentation of the Middle East, the redrawing of the Balkans… None of these are limited to right-wing governments. Imperialism operates not on the basis of ideological labels, but of self-interest.
Turkey’s War of Independence was not waged against the “right-wing” or “left-wing” West; The West's own has been met with opposition. Any politician who forgets this fact will experience the same disappointment over and over again.
Imamoğlu, England, and the Never-Ending Search for a Center
The images of Ekrem İmamoğlu with the British Ambassador are not, in and of themselves, a diplomatic scandal. But for those familiar with history, the symbols speak volumes. Britain was a major power that played a leading role in the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the occupation of Istanbul, and the reshaping of Anatolia.
The fact that people are still trying to explain Turkish politics from London, Brussels, and Washington; The pre-Republican mental map’s shows that it has not yet been overcome.
This isn't just about one person.
This one, the fact that the mental ties to imperialism have not been severed.
Imperialism Never Changes; It Just Changes Its Form
Atatürk’s observation remains striking even today:
“Things that rise at the expense of something else inevitably bring down the one who suffers that loss.”
The West’s prosperity is built on the poverty of other societies. Turkey’s weakness is not a problem for the West; a strategic advantage. For this reason, expecting “genuine support” from the West is not only naivety but also a lack of historical awareness.
Today, authoritarianism is not openly defended. Instead, people talk about “democracy,” “the rule of law,” and “values.” But the essence remains the same: Addiction.
The Republic Is Not a Memory, but an Ongoing Struggle
The Republic is not a memory. The Republic is something that must be defended anew by every generation It is a sense of independence. Atatürk’s legacy is not about earning the West’s applause; it is about standing firm in the face of the West.
Those who shape politics today by leaning on the West are, whether they realize it or not, settling scores with the Republic.
And history does not forgive such reckonings.
If we don't learn from this, the outcome won't change.
Because imperialism is patient;
But the Republic does not tolerate weakness.