Aydın Ünal Targets “Showman Historians” and Rising Turkish Nationalism in Controversial Column

Aydın Ünal, former speechwriter to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and current Yeni Şafak columnist, has sparked debate with a recent article accusing several prominent public figures of distorting history and spreading a divisive form of Turkism that allegedly serves Zionist and imperialist agendas.

In his article titled “Islam is Our Supreme Identity,” Ünal critiques the growing popularity of racialized nationalist ideologies among Turkish youth and singles out high-profile intellectuals like İlber Ortaylı and Celal Şengör, accusing them of being morally compromised, historically ignorant, and media-hungry.

“Twisted History and Identity Crisis”

According to Ünal, figures such as Ortaylı and Şengör have used their influence—backed by internal and foreign support—to spread a distorted version of Turkish history that disconnects younger generations from their Islamic roots.

“They’ve introduced a false perception of history, paving the way for the ideological confusion of our youth,” Ünal stated.

He argues that Kemalism, in an effort to construct a new national identity, confined history to ideological textbooks, which continues to distort public memory.

Nationalism or Subversion?

Ünal is especially critical of certain nationalist narratives that have gained traction online and in youth discourse, including:

• “Turks were forcibly Islamized”

• “Islam is an Arab religion incompatible with Turkish identity”

• “Turks should return to Shamanism or Tengrism”

• “Turks have nothing in common with Kurds or Arabs”

He contends these narratives do not elevate Turkish identity but instead weaken national unity, calling them instruments of Zionist and imperialist influence masquerading as “Turkism.”

Islam as the Unifying Identity

Ünal asserts that Islam is the foundational identity that has historically united the peoples of Anatolia.

“Islam is what brought us here, kept us here, and holds us together,” he wrote.

He claims that any ideological assault on Islam in Türkiye is an attack on Turkish unity and existence, no matter how it’s masked.

Praising Erdoğan’s Historical Vision

Ünal concludes by praising President Erdoğan for presenting a ”truthful version of history” in his speeches—one that emphasizes Islamic identity as the cornerstone of Turkish unity.

“Erdoğan is doing an incredibly effective job by focusing on the truths that unite us. That’s why those who built false historical narratives for decades are now panicking,” Ünal declared.

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