Turkish politics in general
Sex, Baykal, and Videotape
[Originally published in Hurriyet Daily News] I am not really very curious about what other people do in their bedrooms. But the recent sex scandal that shook Deniz Baykal, the opposition leader, is too political to dismiss. In case you haven’t heard the news, here is the brief story: Last Thursday, an Islamist website ran the footage of a hidden camera showing Mr. Baykal with a female deputy of his party, the Republican People’s Party, or CHP. The setting was a private house, and the scenes were much too private for these two people, which are both married to other people. As you can imagine, the “Baykal affair” hit the headlines instantly. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an ordered an instant ban on the scenes, but they were already all over. What was disturbing was not just the “A” word (a.k.a. adultery), but the fact that Baykal had made her lady friend, Nesrin Baytok, a member of the Parliament in 2002, and that her husband got sweet contracts from CHP municipalities.
Hürriyet’s online survey results. CHP voters want Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu:
Conspiracy
ANDREW FINKEL – Assassination or character assassination
The three witches whose job it is to stir the pot of Turkish politics have come up with a surprise ingredient. In addition to eye of newt, toe of frog and a package of constitutional reforms, they have tossed in a secret tape of the leader of the opposition, literally with his pants down.Did Mrs. Baykal not deserve an apology?
FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK – CHP leader Baykal?s resignation under the magnifying glass
In a move that came as a surprise to many, longtime Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal announced his resignation on Monday in the wake of a video scandal that revealed an alleged affair with a CHP deputy. Baykal made only vague statements about the video, not clearly ruling out or admitting to having had an affair with the CHP deputy.YAVUZ BAYDAR – ?Conspiracy? might not be what we think it is
Deniz Baykal, one of the ?foxes? of old-style Turkish politics, is gone. Whether or not the absence is temporary remains to be seen. No matter what the outcome of the unexpected crisis that hit the Republican People?s Party (CHP) will be, for politics it will mean a very sharp curve with serious consequences.BÜLENT KENEŞ – Baykal is the new Hablemitoğlu
Frequent readers of this column will recall that I do not like the way the Republican People?s Party (CHP) or its former leader, Deniz Baykal, does politics, and feel they do not promise anything good to this beautiful country and its beautiful nation.KERİM BALCI – Baykal deserved this, but!
I won?t run to the rescue of Deniz Baykal, whose alleged hotel room affair video recording was posted online last week. I won?t pretend that I feel sorry for this so (!) democratic, so (!) ethical, so (!) respectful politician of our left. In fact, I wouldn?t feel sorry for any member of his party? Well, it seems that the video recording is related to another member of the party also, and I do not feel sorry for her.FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK – Tough time for Baykal
Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal?s involvement in a scandal sparked by a video allegedly showing him in a compromising situation with a CHP deputy has made him the most talked about figure in the Turkish media and political circles.[CROSS READER] Who is behind the CHP scandals?
Baykal?s avenger profile
AKP, Foreign Agents or Sarigul?
It seems that I was wrong about the scandal video which shows some scenes from the private life of Deniz Baykal, the leader of CHP, main opposition party. The initial reaction of CHP officials has hinted that the tape was authentic. It may be edited, but it was not really manipulated. The man was really Deniz Baykal and the woman was really an MP from his party.
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