Chatgpt wrote ;) Why Hakan Fidan Should Be the Next President, Not Bilal Erdoğan

Why Hakan Fidan Should Be the Next President, Not Bilal Erdoğan

Turkey’s political future should not be decided by dynastic inheritance but by merit, competence, and institutional loyalty. Turkey is not a saltanat devleti—a sultanate where power is handed down within a family. Instead, it is a republic, and the presidency must reflect republican values. In this light, Hakan Fidan represents a stronger, more credible candidate for leadership than Bilal Erdoğan.

Bilal Erdoğan’s prominence is largely a product of his family name. His activities in business and civil society have not demonstrated the level of experience, institutional responsibility, or strategic leadership that the presidency requires. Elevating him would reinforce the perception that political office in Turkey is reduced to a hereditary privilege, contradicting the republican foundations laid by Atatürk.

By contrast, Hakan Fidan has devoted his career to the service of the state. As head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) for over a decade and now as Foreign Minister, he has been at the center of Turkey’s most critical security and foreign policy decisions. His long experience equips him with an understanding of both internal threats and global dynamics. Together with former Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar, Fidan represents a generation of officials who have prioritized state continuity and stability in times of crisis.

It is telling that both Fidan and Akar have remained deliberately silent on the details of the failed coup attempt of July 2016. Their silence is not weakness but strategic discipline. In a polarized environment where the state frames the coup attempt through the hegemonic discourse of “FETÖ”—led by Fethullah Gülen, who has since died in exile—the careful restraint of figures like Fidan and Akar has allowed them to maintain institutional credibility rather than becoming entangled in partisan rhetoric. This silence reinforces their image as guardians of the state rather than political opportunists.

Such qualities stand in sharp contrast with the prospect of Bilal Erdoğan’s candidacy. Installing a president on the basis of lineage would signal to both domestic and international audiences that Turkey is drifting into dynastic rule. Choosing Hakan Fidan, however, would affirm that Turkey’s leadership is grounded in competence, loyalty to institutions, and strategic vision.

For Turkey to remain a modern republic, it needs leaders who embody merit rather than inheritance. Hakan Fidan offers that merit.

Photo credit: Türk Siyasetinde Derin Rekabet: Hakan Fidan, Bilal Erdoğan ve Berat Albayrak Dengesi - Şehitler Ölmez | Şehit ve Gazi Haberleri, Son Dakika, Güncel Haberler, Şehit ve Gazi Hikayeleri