Ministers, officials and representatives of the business world late Tuesday slammed the Republican People's Party (CHP) for disrupting public peace and economic stability through calls for street protests and boycotts.
“Opposition, which is the sine qua non of democracy, is made through constructive criticism on a legitimate basis. An opposition that targets public peace and economic stability through calls to the streets and boycotts is doomed to lose,” Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said after the main opposition had called for a boycott for April 2 to protest the detention of students rallying in support of Istanbul's jailed opposition Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
İmamoğlu was detained on March 19 and formally arrested on March 23. Between those dates and afterward, riots broke out across Türkiye as the mayor’s CHP sought to mobilize crowds to protest it. Authorities imposed a ban on gatherings after the incitement by the CHP, particularly in Istanbul.
Özel had recently launched a boycott call against some businesses, including state-run and certain private broadcasters, accusing them of ignoring the protest coverage. On Tuesday, he called for a general boycott of ceasing consumption altogether.
“The style of politics that is based on divisive, threatening and polarizing discourses and does not recognize the law will find its reflection in history and in the conscience of our nation,” he added, underlining that public peace at these times is highly important since Türkiye has entered a new initiative to end PKK terrorism and is on the other side struggling to bind up the wounds of the earthquake.
The geopolitical and economic developments in the region are too vital to sacrifice them for internal quarrels, Yılmaz said.
Similarly, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç highlighted that "This irresponsible lynching attempt, which targets domestic capital and aims to sabotage commercial life, is clearly against the law."
He wrote on social media that “no one in a legal state can draw up brands, companies and consumers according to their ideological line.”
“This is also the reason why the Republican People's Party has not been able to come to power for years. Trying to stir up trouble in the country based on a judicial investigation and terrorizing the streets are not legal. This boycott call will not be approved by our nation; on the contrary, it will cause an adverse reaction. They need to step back from this mistake as soon as possible. No one will be able to shake the economy of this country,” Tunç continued.
Prosecutors have launched an investigation into individuals promoting economic boycotts on social and traditional media.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Tuesday that it was probing calls that allegedly aimed to prevent a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity. The office cited possible violations of "laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility."
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik also criticized the main opposition, CHP Chairperson Özgür Özel, for engaging in divisive politics that threaten Türkiye’s national interests, warning that such policies would ultimately backfire.
In a statement posted on social media, Çelik claimed that Özel’s political approach had shifted from opposition to “a comprehensive threat against Türkiye itself.”
“Özgür Özel has taken control of all dynamics within the CHP and is now targeting Türkiye’s social and economic life to protect his position as party chair,” Çelik said. He described Özel’s performance as “the most extreme example of political fanaticism and social divisiveness” in Türkiye’s political history.
"Stop all purchases! Supermarkets, online shopping, restaurants, petrol, coffees, bills, buy nothing," said Özel. "I invite everyone to use their consumer power by participating in this boycott.”
Çelik argued that Özel lacks the capacity to conduct constructive opposition and is instead focused on polarizing society.
“He has reduced the CHP not only to a party devoid of any realistic governance vision, but even stripped it of its ability to carry out proper opposition,” he said.
According to Çelik, Özel's political discourse consists of "fanaticism, threats, targeting national firms, profiling citizens and fueling social division."
“The actions Özgür Özel is taking to undermine Türkiye’s achievements will ultimately only harm him,” Çelik added.
“Our citizens will reject this fake politics and boycott these aggressive political figures,” he added.
‘Sabotage attempt’
Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, on the other hand, said: "The fact that threats to our economic stability and statements aimed at damaging investor confidence are being distributed abroad by certain circles within the country is more than just a political rivalry; it is an attempt at sabotaging our national interests."
Indicating that Türkiye is faced with heavy disinformation campaigns both from within the country and abroad in the recent period, Altun said that political rivalry has to be made with principles and vision instead of threats and intimidation.
Several Cabinet ministers and celebrities, including former Germany and Real Madrid soccer midfielder Mesut Özil, used the hashtag #BoykotDegilMilliZarar ("Not a Boycott, but National Harm") to emphasize their stance. On the other side, as the boycott spree spread on social media, opposition supporters lynched actors and influencers who stayed silent on the calls and İmamoğlu’s arrest.
