TURKEY: Top members of far-right party resign over a sex video scandal which is fuelling uncertainty about the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary election

Record ID: 334806

  • Title: TURKEY: Top members of far-right party resign over a sex video scandal which is fuelling uncertainty about the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary election
  • Date: 9th June 2011
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (RECENT - MAY 29, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NATIONALISTS ATTENDING AN ELECTORAL RALLY OF NATIONALIST MOVEMENT PARTY, WAVING FLAGS MHP SUPPORTER BEING CARRIED ON SHOULDERS/WAVING PARTY FLAG HANDS OF MHP SUPPORTERS MAKING SIGN LEADER OF NATIONALIST MOVEMENT PARTY DEVLET BAHCELI GREETING SUPPORTERS ISTANBUL, TURKEY (RECENT - JUNE 01, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MHP MP CANDIDATE FOR UPCOMING ELECTIONS UMIT OZDAG WORKING AT HIS OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) MHP MP CANDIDATE, UMIT OZDAG, SAYING: "We had the right to be miffed at these party officials for not being more cautious about their private lives and damaging the party during election period. Their families too, they had the right to get miffed. But what they did was not a crime, it was a fault. On the other hand, what has been done to them is a crime, four offences were committed. Although this was quite obvious, the Prime Minister weighed in on the discussions by making a distinction of private life and public life. Nationalists were really disappointed when the Prime Minister homed in on this incident as an opportunity to take advantage in domestic politics, almost praised this crime." ISTANBUL, TURKEY (RECENT - MAY 29, 2011) (REUTERS) SUPPORTERS OF MHP WAIVING FLAGS ISTANBUL, TURKEY (RECENT - JUNE 01, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) MHP MP CANDIDATE, UMIT OZDAG, SAYING: "Their aim was to demoralise the members of the Nationalist Movement Party and mar their sprit on the eve of elections and this could have happened. When those tapes were first released members of our parties were disappointed. I, personally was disappointed but when our voters raised their voices and reacted against this incident, things changed. The outcome was very different from what was initially aimed (with these videos)."
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9NR8P2N9UP2174OB61UJJT5LV
  • Story Text: Secretly taped online videos that purport to show senior Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) politicians kissing and fondling call girls marred Turkey's far-right electoral campaign, sparking a new debate over 'dirty politics'.
    Ten top opposition members resigned over a video blackmail scandal at the end of May, fuelling uncertainty about the outcome of the June 12 parliamentary election.
    The scandal, which broke in May, has thrown the far-right MHP into disarray.
    The "Different Nationalism" website, an allusion to the "Idealist" movement which forms the backbone of MHP support, had threatened to broadcast further compromising video recordings if party leader Bahceli did not resign by a deadline of May 18.
    Bahceli did not resign but deputy chairmen Osman Cakir, Umit Safak and Mehmet Ekici, along with General-Secretary Cihan Pacaci and his deputy Mehmet Taytak resigned their party membership and candidacies to be members of parliament. Another deputy chairman, Deniz Bolukbasi, subsequently added his resignation.
    "Their aim was to demoralise the members of the Nationalist Movement Party and mar their sprit on the eve of elections and this could have happened. When those tapes were first released members of our parties were disappointed. I, personally was disappointed but when our voters raised their voices and reacted against this incident, things changed. The outcome was very different from what was initially aimed (with these videos)," said Umit Ozdag, an MHP deputy and MP candidate for upcoming elections.
    The edited videos are not particularly explicit, showing couples putting their clothes on without footage of prior conduct. But they also record MHP men making politically compromising remarks.
    It was not clear who was behind the website but it has now been blocked while an investigation by a special prosecutor takes place, experts say the footage was the product of a professional surveillance job.
    Although not reliable, opinion polls suggest the scandal has not harmed support for the MHP which stands at around 10-13 percent, above the 10 percent threshold which parties must exceed to enter parliament.
    "With the release of the last three videos, some voters thought MHP would fall below a vote threshold and we observed that they changed their stance in order to ensure MHP presence in parliament," pollster Adil Gur said.
    The episode has fed a paranoia already rampant in the democratic Islamic state. MHP supporters believe international intelligence agencies are behind the scandals.
    "This is an operation carried out by USA's CIA, Israel's Mossad and their henchmen in Turkey. Turks are aware of that and they are united around MHP," said party supporter Sukru Yazikoz.
    "It is obvious that these videos are released by cabal with links to ruling party because our Prime Minister is making use of this incident during his rallies. So it shows they have a covert agenda," added another supporter, Ilhan Goksu.
    Wiretapping and secretly shot videos have become a frequent instrument of political warfare in Turkey in recent years, mostly targeting government opponents.
    Deniz Baykal, the veteran Republican People's Party leader, resigned last year after a videotape posted online showed him in a bedroom with a woman from his party who was not his wife.
    Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is expected to easily win a third consecutive term of single-party rule in a parliamentary election on June 12.
    If Erdogan's AK, which emerged from banned Islamist parties, wins a two-thirds majority it would allow Erdogan to unilaterally push through a planned new constitution.
    One factor which could determine whether this outcome comes to pass, is the performance of the now scandal-struck MHP at the polls.
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