Debate on the Hagia Sophia: Erdogan, the second conqueror of Istanbul?

The Ball is now up to the Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan. Because of the Danistay, the highest administrative court of Turkey has ruled that the Turkish government can make the Cabinet decision of November, 1934, the founder of the Republic, Ataturk had the Hagia Sophia into a Museum convert, with a new decree will be reversed. No one doubts that this will happen in the coming days. On Friday afternoon, shortly after the court judgment, Erdogan announced the Opening of Hagia Sophia for Muslim prayers.

Rainer Hermann

editor in the policy.

the Minister of justice Abdulhamit Gül had said prior to the announcement of the decision on state television TRT, he could see a legal necessity to open the Hagia Sophia for the prayer. Because she had been converted after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 in a Foundation. As the purpose of the Foundation had been set that you have to be as a mosque is a place for prayer. Would be completed so that "the shame and the wrongs" of its time, this was not the case.

High symbolic power

In Turkey there is hardly any resistance against this project. Also the largest opposition party, the CHP, which sees itself as the heir of atatürk, do not fight it. Erdogan matches with the theme of Hagia Sophia, although a very dangerous game, says Deputy CHP Chairman Ünal Ceviköz. However, the CHP wool will not fall into the trap and into a confrontation which can only be used for the purpose to exacerbate the polarisation in Turkey, in this case between secular and Islamic circles. The consequences of this decision will, however, have Erdogan alone, because there will be reactions from the international community.

The Deputy, Mustafa Yeneroglu, joined last year from the ACP and one of the founding members of the new party, Deva, assesses the debate over the Status of Hagia Sophia as a distraction from the economic crisis. According to a survey by Metropoll see it, every second Turk so. This crisis is expected to intensify further. Because the Covid-19-pandemic hitting the tourism industry, which is one of the most important industries of the country, hard. The Hotels on the Turkish Mediterranean coast are not as usual in July, fully occupied, but closed a big part of it.

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test the issue of Hagia Sophia, Erdogan had viewed the Turks in the view, the nationalist him more as a religious than as a political leader, says Yeneroglu. With the signing of a decree, the use of Hagia Sophia as a mosque, make it clear that he is the one who decides. On the other, he could present himself in the Tradition of Fatih Mehmet, the conqueror of Constantinople in 1453, as the "second conqueror of Istanbul".

would be implemented, How quickly a decree of Erdogan, is not in sight. The Danistay had last November, the Museum of Istanbul, Chora Church, which dates back to the fifth century, into a mosque to move back. Done so far is nothing, there are no implementation rules are available. Due to the high symbolic power of the Hagia Sophia, it could be done, but now faster. Many Turks expect Erdogan to the anniversary of the failed coup attempt of 15. July 2016 could perform in the Hagia Sophia, a prayer. For the tourism will be important, what part will be reserved for Islamic prayer, and which part is more for tourists open.