Support NeoGAF

[Funyarinpa]

That Turkey is becoming a radicalized shithole is probably evident from the outside. At least, I hope it is. Because the local media is so suppressed that there's no commentary or call to action whatsoever regarding the current pitiful state of the Turkish economy from within Turkey.

At August/September 2016 or thereabouts, the $/TL (Turkish Lira) exchange rate was around 3.15. Five or six years ago, the rate was 2.50. As of today, it has seen 3.74. It's 3.72 as of this writing. It's been breaking records just about every week. On particularly severe days, it breaks the record several times.

You might wonder what the government's response was to such a dire state of affairs.
You might feel slightly less curious when you remember that this country has elected Erdocuck since 2002, and a referandum to turn the country into a presidential republic is in the horizon.

Here's some of the things that's been said/done since the crisis began in October:
-Called the people to exchange all their dollars for Turkish Lira in the name of the nation
-Blamed "outside forces" for meddling with the economy
-Claimed that the economy is actually in a really good state (I don't even remember the bullshit excuse but it was something like "everyone has iPhones")
-Strongly condemn all terrorist attacks but do nothing to put a stop to them (the nightclub attacked that massacred 39 on the 1st of January is still at large), and deem anyone who asks the government why the hell they cannot secure the lives of their citizens a traitor to the nation (Turkey's patriotic as hell, so that is a severe insult)
-Tried to pass a law that legalizes child marriage and then claimed it's ethical because it mandates "consent of the child"
-Blamed citywide power cuts in Istanbul during a snowstorm as cyber attacks by FETÖ, the Islamist organization behind the July coup attempt (which is reaaaaallllly curious because more than 100 000 people in public service have been rid of their jobs since July on grounds of connections to this organization).

This post is a cry for help. Please know that Turkey is governed by lies, oppression and militant Islamism. Please be aware of the idiocy, hatred, bigotry and imminent poverty throughout this country. This country is already ruled by a cult of personality from within, at least do not let this stand on the international scale. Please.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Jesus, I hadn't realised things were so bad on the ground in Turkey.

Is secularism basically dead since the failed coup?

 

[bidguy]

Jesus, I hadn't realised things were so bad on the ground in Turkey.

Is secularism basically dead since the failed coup?

my friends there tell me you cant even speak against erdogan because his followers will beat the shit out of you. there is nothing you can do, speak against him on twitter = someone you know will report you, speak in public without any help = good luck because his followers are everywhere

at this point they are just waiting for him to retire

 

[Nikodemos]

And remember, this is the guy who went grovelling to Volodya's feet (about 2 months after the shoot-down) after the latter banned Russian tourists from travelling to Turkey.

Strong man, father of the nation material there.

 

[Renekton]

Any other signs the economy is in trouble? Currency exchange rate may not say too much, since even decent ones are dropping versus the dollar due to Trump.

 

[El Topo]

The economy has always been Erdogan's big trump card. I wonder what will happen if the economy falters.

Any other signs the economy is in trouble?

Well, for starters, we have some ground data that at least indicates problems:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-economy-contracts-for-first-time-in-seven-years-1481529814

If you want to go further, many worry about possible brain drain and maybe even the collapse of the Turkish tourism industry. There are also some other worrisome news, e.g. about how safe it is to invest there. Heck, look at ISE 100. All this is not the end of the world, but it points to uncertainty and possible problems.

Edit:
I think the Turkish currency hasn't been weaker since 1981 by the way. This is definitely worrying, given their (foreign) debt.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Jesus, I hadn't realised things were so bad on the ground in Turkey.

Is secularism basically dead since the failed coup?

Pretty much, although I guess you can say that it's been slowly dying since Erdoğan came into power. It's true that the coup attempt led to a huge crackdown on dissent, though. Now it's easy for them to call people terrorists just for standing up to this government's bullshit. (Also, it provided FETÖ as a wonderful, wonderful scapegoat for EVERYTHING.)

my friends there tell me you cant even speak against erdogan because his followers will beat the shit out of you. there is nothing you can do, speak against him on twitter = someone you know will report you, speak in public without any help = good luck because his followers are everywhere

at this point they are just waiting for him to retire

Yyyyyyep. Insulting the president is a crime. You can get get arrested or sued for it. A doctor a while ago was sentenced to 2 years in prison for posting a picture on Facebook that compared Erdocuck and Gollum (and the comparison was a-ma-zing). I wish I was kidding.

Regarding bolded: Hahahahhahaha

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

"retire"? Retire? As in, stop running this country into the ground? LOL. Fucking LOL. I do not blame you, but the guy's currently pushing a new constitution in parliament that'll turn the country into a presidential republic that'll give him as much as 12 years to rule. Some people practically worship him (I've seen videos of people burning dollar bills in his name).

I just hope he dies quickly. Then again, I know that the mentality that got him elected will never die, and that's why I'm going to live abroad from university and onwards if I can. I do not fucking care if that makes me a traitor, being a Turk means nothing but suffering to me now.

 

[TheWasTheJoke]

FUCK Erdogan

He's literally as heartless as Bibi but doesn't get half the criticism from the West

Turkey used to be such an admirable inlet of secularism and reason in the Middle East and now it's gone to shit

EDIT: I reckon hes easily worse actually with the crackdowns on basic rights of his citizens

 

[milanbaros]

Any other signs the economy is in trouble? Currency exchange rate may not say too much, since even decent ones are dropping versus the dollar due to Trump.

Yeah. The pound has collapsed as well but it is 2nd best performing major developed economy and employment at all time highs.

Not dismissing but dollar has been very strong in the past 12 months.

 

[ClosingADoor]

Turkey had so much promise just a few years back. Really looked like they were booming and on a good path, at least from the outside. Scary that it changed so quickly. Hope the country can recover from this.

 

[Messofanego]

Trying to legalise child marriage? Not even Afghanistan is that fucked up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage_in_Afghanistan

"According to UNICEF, child marriage is the "formal marriage or informal union before age 18," and it affects more girls than boys. In Afghanistan, 57% of girls are married before they are 19."

"Article 70 sets the legal age of marriage to be 16 for females and 18 for males; Article 71 (subsection 1) gives a girl's marriage rights to her father or guardian before the legal age of 16, and marriages for minors under the age of 15 are not allowed under any circumstance."

 

[milanbaros]

Trying to legalise child marriage? Not even Afghanistan is that fucked up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage_in_Afghanistan

"According to UNICEF, child marriage is the "formal marriage or informal union before age 18," and it affects more girls than boys. In Afghanistan, 57% of girls are married before they are 19."

"Article 70 sets the legal age of marriage to be 16 for females and 18 for males; Article 71 (subsection 1) gives a girl's marriage rights to her father or guardian before the legal age of 16, and marriages for minors under the age of 15 are not allowed under any circumstance."

Scotland has child marriage as well.

 

[kess]

Stopping inflation was the golden key that got him in, failing to stop it might be the thing that eventually does him in.

Erdogan was bad news from the outset, but rising economic tides allowed western media to lionize him.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Yeah. The pound has collapsed as well but it is 2nd best performing major developed economy and employment at all time highs.

Not dismissing but dollar has been very strong in the past 12 months.

I'd have to look into that because I'm a high schooler and don't have too much of a grasp on politics overall, so I'm majorly going by the most obvious stuff, but I also don't think that all other currencies are literally breaking their all-time lowest value compared to the doller, and weekly at that. Besides that, tariffs for bridges and roads have received big price increases and even some of these are now taken in dollars.

Trying to legalise child marriage? Not even Afghanistan is that fucked up.
"

It was possibly a diversionary tactic, but it did get controversial. Thankfully it was averted.

 

[Nikodemos]

Stopping inflation was the golden key that got him in, failing to stop it might be the thing that eventually does him in.

Erdogan was bad news from the outset, but rising economic tides allowed western media to lionize him.

The big problem with the guys thet came before him was that they were real shitheads. They refused to tone the militaristic bullshit down a notch or two. They still lived in the mid-late '80s. Remember when Turkish and Greek naval and air forces were doing mock attack runs at each other on a per-weekly basis? Remember when Turkish forces were harrassing Greek fishermen on nearly every sortie?

Erdo is an unmitigated disaster, but the folks before him were pieces of work as well.

 

[Jackpot]

President-for-life incoming...

The Turkish parliament has voted to advance a bill on constitutional reform that would allow sitting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stay in office until 2029.

Under the proposed far-reaching changes to the executive branch of government, the power to appoint and dismiss government ministers would become the purview of the president rather than the prime minister.

Overnight on Monday’s initial vote, 480 representatives voted, 134 of whom voted against advancing the bill. Discussions on the proposed law’s content are expected to continue until January 24.

The reform legislation must be supported by at least 330 of the 550 members of the assembly to go to a nationwide referendum, expected in the spring.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ve-power-turkey-parliament-vote-a7518846.html

 

[Madness]

President-for-life incoming...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ve-power-turkey-parliament-vote-a7518846.html

So do we start calling him Sultan Tayyip I yet or no?

 

[Funyarinpa]

So do we start calling him Sultan Tayyip I yet or no?

That'll probably wait until 2029... Haha... haha... haha... ha...

Spoiler

It saddens me to realize just how many times I've made this joke to feel less distressed at the usurpation of democracy in this country

 

[illusionspark]

Turkey is a nation built and sustained by lies, so none of this surprises me.

 

[Lkr]

Scotland has child marriage as well.

Wikipedia says 16 is the minimum age in Scotland. You can do that in Murrica I don't think that is what people consider child marriages.

 

[Jasup]

I wanted to find another article about Turkey to link here, but stumbled upon this one from few days ago. Not about economy, but about general fundie fuckery
http://www.dw.com/en/turkish-marriage-guide-sparks-controversy/a-37049023

Turkish authorities in some cities have come under criticism for handing out "marriage guides" that advocate mistreatment of women as being beneficial to conjugal bliss.

A 394-page book entitled "Marriage and Family Life" says that wife beatings are a legitimate and recommended means for conflict resolution if a woman refuses to wear makeup for her husband, and recommends that "a wife has to remain quiet and apologize if her husband is angry with her."

Other pieces of advice in the book include the notion that women should not talk during sex "as this will lead to the child developing a stutter" and that they should stay away from public parks and sports facilities. Polygamy is suggested as a way to keep a "wayward" woman in check, as it apparently creates competition among wives.

The book also allows for children as young as 10 years of age to be married.
[...]

But the mayor of Kütahya, Kamil Saracoglu, a member of the Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP), defended the writings in an interview, saying there had never been any complaints and that the advice given in the document was based on Islamic principles.

OP, I don't blame you for wanting to get out.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Turkey is a nation built and sustained by lies, so none of this surprises me.

Can you elaborate on the "built by lies" part? Would like to hear such a perspective.

I wanted to find another article about Turkey to link here, but stumbled upon this one from few days ago. Not about economy, but about general fundie fuckery
http://www.dw.com/en/turkish-marriage-guide-sparks-controversy/a-37049023


OP, I don't blame you for wanting to get out.

I'd been trying not to think about that book. It's fucking nauseating.

 

[Messofanego]

I wanted to find another article about Turkey to link here, but stumbled upon this one from few days ago. Not about economy, but about general fundie fuckery
http://www.dw.com/en/turkish-marriage-guide-sparks-controversy/a-37049023


OP, I don't blame you for wanting to get out.

"Kamil Saracoglu, a member of the Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP), defended the writings in an interview, saying there had never been any complaints and that the advice given in the document was based on Islamic principles."

Haha Kamil is an idiot.

 

[Funyarinpa]

"Kamil Saracoglu, a member of the Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP), defended the writings in an interview, saying there had never been any complaints and that the advice given in the document was based on Islamic principles."

Haha Kamil is an idiot.

Kind of goes without saying if you've risen to mayorship under the AKP.

AKP recently passed a bill that, due to the emergency status in effect since the coup attempt, forbids ANY sort of protest in the capital Ankara for 30 days. Will make a thread about that too, once I find a reputable English source. But they're already covering their asses to pass the presidential constitution without hitch.

 

[JinjoUnchained]

Not even having Batman is helping them...

Jokes aside, this makes me incredibly sad. I have Turkish friends who live here and an American friend who emigrated to Turkey. They used to be so proud and now it's all going to shit. I really hope that they go back to Attarurk's legacy as a tolerant nation while maintaining their rich cultural identity.

 

[Jasup]

Kind of goes without saying if you've risen to mayorship under the AKP.

AKP recently passed a bill that, due to the emergency status in effect since the coup attempt, forbids ANY sort of protest in the capital Ankara for 30 days. Will make a thread about that too, once I find a reputable English source. But they're already covering their asses to pass the presidential constitution without hitch.

I could only find a Al Jazeera article from last year about a protest ban that lasted until 30th of November, is there a new one?
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/...herings-due-terror-alert-161017173745908.html
Granted, it was a very quick search

Or is it linked to this news where the state of emergency was extended by three months? (from 4th of January)
http://www.dw.com/en/turkey-extends-state-of-emergency-by-three-months/a-36994046

The state of emergency gives Ankara powers to fire state employees and shut down other associations, including media outlets. [...]

At least 100,000 people, including soldiers, police officers, teachers, judges and journalists have been removed from their positions over suspected ties to Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government has blamed for inspiring the attempted coup on July 15.

More than 40,000 people have been arrested for their suspected ties to Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States.

The state of emergency also extends the time suspects can be held in jail without being charged. Gulen has denied involvement with the coup.

Since the state of emergency was first imposed, more than 130 media outlets and publishing companies have been forced to close, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a press freedom organization based in the US.

CPJ also states that at least 81 journalists were imprisoned in Turkish prisons as of December 1.

Related news - Turkey: 'Worst country' for media freedom in 2016
http://www.dw.com/en/turkey-worst-country-for-media-freedom-in-2016/a-36924382

Turkey jailed more journalists than any other country this year. According to the Turkish Journalists' Association, 148 journalists are currently imprisoned and many media outlets have been shut down.

 

[MisterFalcon]

https://www.investing.com/currencies/usd-try

Turkish Lira dropping like a rock today.

 

[AlucardGV]

-Claimed that the economy is actually in a really good state (I don't even remember the bullshit excuse but it was something like "everyone has iPhones")

oh man this reminds me of berlusconi saying the economy was fine because all the restaurant were always packed with people

 

[Funyarinpa]

I could only find a Al Jazeera article from last year about a protest ban that lasted until 30th of November, is there a new one?
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/...herings-due-terror-alert-161017173745908.html
Granted, it was a very quick search

Or is it linked to this news where the state of emergency was extended by three months? (from 4th of January)
http://www.dw.com/en/turkey-extends-state-of-emergency-by-three-months/a-36994046

The bill that bans peaceful protest in Ankara isn't related to any actual protest, but is related to the extension of the state of emergency because that state of emergency provides provisions for the government to enact such bills.

https://www.investing.com/currencies/usd-try

Turkish Lira dropping like a rock today.

As I said, the Lira literally breaks its all-time low value DAILY. Sometimes it does so multiple times a day.

oh man this reminds me of berlusconi saying the economy was fine because all the restaurant were always packed with people

Ow, hahah.

 

[Barajas_201]

OP it's like you're describing the situation in Mexico right now, almost to the t. I share you're feelings OP and hope for the end to Erdogan's regime.

 

[Sickboy007]

I don't know how comforting that is, but the whole world is moving in this direction.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Feels like the future really is hopeless

 

[Berto]

Amazing how fast a country can fuck up things like Turkey is doing. One of my dream travel (and living) destinations has always been Istambul, but right now... I don't know.

 

[TheWasTheJoke]

Amazing how fast a country can fuck up things like Turkey is doing. One of my dream travel (and living) destinations has always been Istambul, but right now... I don't know.

It's such a beautiful city and the cultural density must out of the roof

Surely too risky now though..

 

[Funyarinpa]

OP it's like you're describing the situation in Mexico right now, almost to the t. I share you're feelings OP and hope for the end to Erdogan's regime.

Thanks. I feel you, hope Mexico soon gets itself together as well.

I don't know how comforting that is, but the whole world is moving in this direction.

That is just something I don't think I'd be able to handle to perceive fully.

Amazing how fast a country can fuck up things like Turkey is doing. One of my dream travel (and living) destinations has always been Istambul, but right now... I don't know.

Do not come here. I've lived in Istanbul for my whole life, and it is not worth it.

 

[Funyarinpa]

The $/TL rate just saw 3.93. It started with a record 3.77 just this morning.

I rest my case.

 

[paradise_circus]

this mess is also effecting the huge Turkish Community outside of Turkey. I can't do enough facepalms when my non thinking Turkish friends and family members start talking about politics.
the huge debate about fake news is also boosting this.

 

[KillerMan91]

Is the problem Erdogan or is it far more deep rooted? If Erdogan dropped dead tomorrow would things start to improve or is there someone similar lunatic waiting for his turn?

 

[Stereogatari]

An economical crisis is what got AKP to power in the first place. Hopefully it'll be their downfall as well.

 

[Diancecht]

Is the problem Erdogan or is it far more deep rooted? If Erdogan dropped dead tomorrow would things start to improve or is there someone similar lunatic waiting for his turn?

Erdogan made sure to eliminate all and every opposition in his party. There is no right hand, no B plan. If Erdogan dies tomorrow, AKP would collapse in it's weight and seperate into two or three small parties.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Is the problem Erdogan or is it far more deep rooted? If Erdogan dropped dead tomorrow would things start to improve or is there someone similar lunatic waiting for his turn?

Erdoğan is malignant cancer and his voter base is the radiation that causes it, is how I'd describe it. Erdoğan himself is causing a ton of harm that wouldn't happen without him, but there's still a huge problem without him around. The whole neo-Ottoman, Islamist, ultranationalist and uneducated crowd that's represented by Erdoğan is something that, I feel, is rooted deep in Turkish society. There's a yearning throughout the whole country for the glory days of the Ottoman Empire when the government was Muslim, development was war and conquest, and Turks were powerful in the land. Islam is pretty much granted for AKP supporters, and most of them carry the bigotry a religious society brings. As long as there are Turks that would rather have their children learn Arabic and read the Qu'ran than send them to school to teach them rational thought and science, this country isn't developing a single step.

That said, Erdoğan was indeed clever and cunning to establish a cult of personality so strong that he has arguably been semi-deified. People now do Erdoğan's bidding and not only for the sake for the Turkish nation or Islam now, but also in Erdoğan's name. I've seen videos of people burning dollar bills while shouting "For the sake of our Reis!" ("Reis" being a Turkish word for leader, example, governor, ruler, etc.). Some people are now more proud to say that they support AKP (Erdoğan's party, which has been in governance since 2002) than they are to say that they're Muslim. It's curious, really curious that the most pious of the Turkish populace is the one to deify a person, but what can you do...

 

[trembli0s]

How terrible. My mom and my aunt + her husband were in Turkey just a few years ago. They stayed at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet and said it was one of the most beautiful places they had ever visited.

 

[Mark L]

A friend of mine from college had been living in Turkey with her husband and kids. Since the coup, they fled to Germany. I am so sorry for those who have to live through this. Stay strong, and be well.

 

[Peter Ian Staker]

Is the problem Erdogan or is it far more deep rooted? If Erdogan dropped dead tomorrow would things start to improve or is there someone similar lunatic waiting for his turn?

The problems go way beyond him and his followers. The Kemalists that came before him weren't saints either.