The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey, which swept to power in 2002, deliberately opted for the word ‘Development' in its banner to conform to its promises: economic prosperity, social development and accession to European Union. On the other hand, Egypt's ruling Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) carved the word ‘Freedom' in big font in its billboard to indicate that its top priorities are limited to the achievements of freedom and justice after 30 years of the regime of ex-president Hosni Mubarak. Egypt's economy is floundering raucously. With the two words ‘Development' and ‘Freedom' constituting a narrowed exception, the two ruling parties in Egypt and Turkey show wide areas of striking comparisons. For example, Islamists in both countries swung into the saddle and rode off; both have, under the sleeve, the same clichéd accusations and rhetoric against the opposition to bring out quickly when anti-government mass demonstrations unfold down the street; both ridiculously limit their liberal and secular tendencies to razor sharp suits, trendy necktie and shining faces and shoes (not sandals); leaders in both parties shot to power after serving different terms in prison for their ideology: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan was sentenced to 10 months in prison for promoting Islamism by reciting a poem in a public area in 1997. Erdogan formed his AKP after his release and became Prime Minister in 2003. In Egypt scores of members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) were put in jail by the former regime, and exchanged the roles with their prison guards after the outbreak of the January Revolution in 2011. Mubarak was ousted and put in jail; MB formed its political wing FJP and President Mohamed Morsi won the presidential elections in June 2012. The wide areas of striking comparisons between Turkey's AKP and Egypt's FJP also lie within the fact that neither of them claim a love lost between it and the military. Islamists in both countries lurked in ambush and pounced on the military when the time was opportune. In August, 2012, dozens of army generals and admirals in Turkey, who are in jail facing charges of plotting a coup, were retired; and almost simultaneously in the same year in Egypt, President Mohamed Morsi ousted Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and chief of staff of the Armed Forces Gen. Sami Annan (the two men steered SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) during the transitional period). Concerning the Turkish experience, observers indicated that Erdogan's crackdown on all-powerful army helped him to tighten the civilian control in his country. On the other hand, by dismissing Tantawi and Annan from power, President Morsi strengthened the pillars of his presidential power. Turkey's top four commanders quit last year to protest the jailing of hundreds of officers, including about 20 per cent of the military's generals. In Egypt, the surprise dismissal of Tantawi and Annan triggered groans of protest among millions of Egyptian people. An editor-in-chief of a state-owned newspaper was dismissed after publishing that Tantawi and Annan would be put on trial for corruption cases. It would be foolish of anyone to underestimate the influence of the humiliation of military in sparking widespread discontent in Cairo, Ankara or any other country. Anti-government demonstrations should expand the area of striking comparisons between the two ruling parities in Turkey and Egypt. Tens of thousands of Turkish people are denouncing Erdogan's policies. Erdogan branded his opponents as ‘vandals' and definitely decided to pursue his plans. In Egypt, the opposition is planning mass demonstrations on June 30 to protest MB's policies. Concerning Erdogan's dilemma, his long-sought hope to join EU has been dashed irreparably. EU criticised his government's handling of a week-long unrest. He hit back at the EU-Turkey conference in Istanbul on Friday by accusing EU member states of hypocrisy and double standards. The Turkish Prime Minister must have insulted EU members when he said the forceful methods used by Turkish riot police to quell protests against the demolition of an Istanbul park ‘were little different from those used previously in the US and the UK'. He added that Turkey's democratic record was the best it had been in the country's history, and superior to that of many EU states. It is unfortunate that Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is walking in the footsteps of Erodgan's government.
