Erdoğan getting ready for cabinet reshuffle in autumn
Murat Yetkin writes: One might ask what would a cabinet shift change since Erdoğan is making all decisions. This is right. Few believe that a cabinet reshuffle would lead to a change in Erdoğan’s politics; only a small number of ministers can play a significant role. Still, such developments point to a change in power balances and trends.
Duvar English
Prominent journalist Murat Yetkin has penned a piece on what possible consequences might occur in Ankara following the recent policy failures of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). According to Yetkin's sources, it seems inevitable for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to have some officials pay for the price for consecutive shocks the country has been going through. Yetkin argued that the jobs of Education Minister Ziya Selçuk, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli are one the line.
"Wildfires have destroyed forests on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey, claiming at least eight lives. Yet, a political fire burns in Ankara, with debate on a cabinet shift heating up. President Erdoğan netted reactions for distributing packages of tea to the fire victims in Marmaris and his motorcade keeping ambulances and fire trucks waiting in traffic so he might put the blame on particular cabinet ministers. A crucial cabinet meeting was scheduled for August 2, but it was postponed," Yetkin wrote.
One source told Yetkin that Minister Bekir Pakdemirli would have already been gone if the wildfires did not erupt pointing to Minister's cadre-building activity inside the ministry despite the repeated warnings from the palace.
Yetkin's piece in full can be reached here.