Yeni Akit Columnist to Erdoğan: 'Your Speeches No Longer Excite'

A critical column published in Yeni Akit, a media outlet known for its provocative stance and proximity to Turkey's ruling AKP party, has directly addressed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The article, penned by columnist İdris Günaydın, argues that Erdoğan has fallen short in implementing religious policies and is failing to inspire the nation.

Günaydın's piece, titled "Mr. Tayyip Erdoğan!", voices concerns about a perceived decline in religious values among youth, describing a surge in deism and atheism. He laments what he sees as a pervasive influence of "filth and disbelief" through mobile phones and criticizes secular practices in education and public life, such as students attending university entrance exams dressed inappropriately or graduation ceremonies featuring religious attire associated with other faiths.

"Erdoğan! Your speeches are important, but they no longer excite like before," Günaydın wrote. "Because just talking does not heal a toothache. We are left between hoping for a solution and helplessness." The columnist reflects on the past 25 years of AKP rule, acknowledging infrastructure achievements but asserting that the core values that define Turkish identity have not been repaired. He criticizes the continued existence of a law perceived as anti-democratic and inhumane, the lack of severe punishment for offenses against religious sanctity, and the perceived inaction regarding the spread of disbelief and the slow pace of medical diagnoses.

Günaydın also points to issues within religious circles, suggesting some clerics are manipulating Sunni beliefs, leading youth toward deism or atheism while the Directorate of Religious Affairs remains passive. He criticizes the Istanbul Convention for allegedly damaging the Turkish family structure. The columnist concludes by urging Erdoğan to challenge the "idols of the age" in his remaining time, stating the nation desires him to be a "modern idol-breaker."