Some Western media outlets have already contended that the way of life of Turkey’s secular circles are under attack, pointing to the recent nightclub attack. President Erdoğan rebuked these claims, saying that those who put forward such contentions should prove their solvency: “It does nothing but confuse people’s minds to make comments about people’s lifestyles,” he said. In addition, some opposition circles in Turkey have claimed that the attack by the terrorist group was actually against the secular way of life, adding that the secular lifestyle is under threat. However, the public remains united in the face of the recent terrorist attack. President Erdoğan asserted that such speculations and claims regarding the lifestyles of people in Turkey aim to polarize society: “I know that there is no obligation for anyone in our country and the world to have the same lifestyle,” he said, adding that respect for people’s way of living is reciprocal.
