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How much political influence does the mafia boss, Sedat Peker, have in Turkey?

2022-09-09 17:50:47Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
How much political influence does the mafia boss, Sedat Peker, have in Turkey?
Seated Peker

In Turkey, the godfather of the mafia has become one of the biggest dangers for Erdogan's government. To what extent can Sedat Peker influence public opinion and harm President Erdogan?

Two high-level advisers to the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have lost their jobs a few days ago. Their names circulated in the context of a bribery affair. Serkan Taranoğlu was fired by Erdogan while Korkmaz Karaca resigned - he argued his resignation due to health problems.

Këto zhvillime erdhën falë kumbarit ultranacionalist të mafies Sedat Peker. Ish-udhëheqësi i një grupimi kriminal për vite të tëra mbante kontakte të ngushta me presidentin Erdogan, por tani ai është kthyer në kritikun më të fortë të tij. Zbulimet e tij të fundit për implikimet e politikës me krimin e organizuar tregojnë, se korrupsioni është shtrirë deri në pallatin presidencial: Në Twitter ai ka publikuar biseda private në WhatsApp dhe fotografi të disa teksteve që mund të vërtetojnë, se disa persona në rrethin e ngushtë të Erdoganit janë të involvuar në afera ryshfeti.

Në një video dekonspiruese bosi i mafies Desat Peker flet për pështjellime mes mafies e politikës

In this background, Peker also accused an AKP deputy, Zehra Taşkesenlioğlu and his brother, as well as the former head of the stock market supervisory authority (SPK), Ali Fuat Taşkesenlioğlu, of corruption. It is said that they must have demanded 12 million Turkish liras (about 660 thousand euros) from the company Marka Investment Holding. After the head of the Marka firm, Mine Tozlu Sineren, confirmed these accusations on Turkish television, SPK filed a criminal complaint. The prosecution for the first time since the beginning of Peker's revelations has started investigations.

Even the opposition, based on Peker's testimony, has filed a complaint against members of the government, but has not been able to find an investigator to investigate the government. There is no great hope that the investigations can be carried out independently.

From criminal to political influencer

With his revelations, Peker last year turned into a leading actor in Turkish politics. His behind-the-scenes knowledge has been weighing heavily on the Turkish government for some time now. At first, he published videos on his YouTube channel, where he made serious accusations against politicians from the ranks of the ruling party, AKP: According to him, they are involved in murder, drug smuggling, abuse of power, rape and many affairs of other illegal ones. He has particularly focused on the Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs Syleyman Soylu.

How much political influence does the mafia boss, Sedat Peker, have in Turkey?

To escape an arrest warrant, Peker had to leave Turkey and after several stops he has already settled in the United Arab Emirates. He posts messages on Twitter under the nickname "Deli Çavuş", which means "crazy sergeant". Abu Dhabi has so far ignored Turkey's extradition request.

Can Peker influence the elections?

Elections will be held in Turkey on June 18 next year. With their vote, Turks can decide on another government and theoretically retire Erdogan. Until now, Peker has never directly attacked Erdogan. His closest confidant, Emre Olur, has stated, however, that Peker will reveal important information two months before the elections. But how much can Peker influence the electorate with this information?

Professor Ryan Gingeras from the USA studies the relationship between the state and criminal organizations and has long focused on organized crime in Turkey. The latest revelations and the consequences in personnel give you to understand that Peker's accusations have an effect on social media, Gingeras explains. "But it is not clear what influence Peker's accusations can have on undecided voters and on Erdogan's passionate supporters. In the event that Peker's accusations so far have not changed the opinion of the voters, why should his new revelations convince them to change their opinion?", asks Gingeras.

All the damage that Peker could cause at times has already been done, says Gingeras: I don't believe that any spectacular exposure is expected, which could massively change public opinion in Turkey. "Probably voters, who believe or consider Peker's accusations relevant, have meanwhile decided not to vote for Erdogan next year." The researcher further says that he is not sure if Erdogan's government has developed any strategy or unified perspective towards Peker and his accusations.

A problem with deep roots

Peker's recent allegations have reignited the public debate about criminal structures in Turkey. But illegal businesses are not a new phenomenon in Turkey. Corruption in Turkey did not come with the AKP government, but historically it has deep roots in this country.

"For a hundred years, Turkey's economic policy has left a lot of space for illegal affairs. Dissensions, contradictions and tensions in politics have created the fertile ground for an attractive informal economy", says Turkey expert Gingeras.

Sedat Peker is not the only one who targeted corruption in Turkey. Last year, Turkey was classified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on the so-called "grey list" because measures in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing were deemed insufficient.

In the "Global Organized Crime Index" of the "Global Initiative against Transnational Crime" Turkey is also harshly criticized. It says: "Turkey has become known as a mafia state and the evidence confirms that this development is now more present than ever before." Even according to Gingeras' assessment, meanwhile, Turkey "has turned into a center of organized crime" - and Erdogan's AKP party has a problem with that.

The issue, whether Peker's revelations can lead to the end of this government, is difficult to predict. But it is indisputable that an extremist right-wing mafia boss has become Erdogan's fiercest critic. He remains an important actor who continues to influence Turkish society: "People want their suspicions to be confirmed. Peker gives people what they want," notes Gingeras./ DW


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