Suddenly, the deep gulf that separates the political establishment from the vast majority of the people has become visible. The crisis of the existing social order is so great that a Turkish commentator compared it with the last days of the Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union. However, there are also forces who are dissatisfied with the status quo for opposite reasons from those motivating the mass of the population. They are seeking to direct the general outrage into very reactionary channels. Likewise the international media has repeatedly criticised the incompetent and corrupt national authorities, as well as the unscrupulous building contractors in Turkey.
Political caution is in order.
Particularly in the Turkish press, two responses have predominated. The paper quoted with approval the prominent Spanish newspaper El Pais , which said the EU should use the crisis in Turkey to draw the country closer to it. But in the cold light of day, it becomes clear that the help they actually provided was minimal. A few years earlier Germany had supplied tanks and other military equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the Turkish army, free of charge, to assist in the suppression of the masses in the majority Kurdish regions. The West is not interested in providing serious assistance for Turkey.