A risky acceleration in Turkish politics

According to Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, the seizure of Zaman media group on March 4 has nothing to do with the press freedom under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) government; rather, it was a decision by an independent court. He also claims that the probe against the Zaman group has the dimension to curb the support to the "parallel structure," i.e. the Gülenist movement, including money laundering. 

According to Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu, the leader of the social democratic main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the judge that decided to appoint trustees to the media group "carries the stick of political authority in his hand." He also claims that by maintaining political influence over the judiciary, the AK Parti has been transforming the Turkish state into an AK Parti state and what we are hearing are the footsteps of a "civilian coup d'état."

The gap between the opinions of the government and the main opposition has increased asymmetrically as developments in Turkish politics accelerate in a risky way.

The seizure of the Zaman media groups is the latest -but perhaps not the last- stage of an inner struggle within the Islamist/conservative wing of Turkish politics. 

Fethullah Gülen, an Islamist ideologue living in the U.S. for many years, used to be an active supporter of President Tayyip Erdo?an's AK Parti for almost a decade after the 2002 elections that brought the party to power. The Gülenists within the state apparatus in the judiciary, security, education and media have played a key role in Erdo?an's effort to curb the secular establishment in the judiciary, military and education. Thousands of people were purged in court cases like Ergenekon, Balyoz, Military Espionage, OdaTv and others, during...