Why Ekmel Bey matters

A person whose words will be respected in the East as much as in the West, embodying the tradition of the Ottoman Empire and the modernism of the Republic Since the moment his name dropped into the political sphere, the former secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu is the most searched and tweeted figure in Turkey. His presence overshadowed Erdoğan’s weekly speeches and its dominance in the news cycle gave the nation at least some breathing room to think about.

As many columnists mention, Mr. İhsanoğlu’s biggest strength comes from his distance to everyday politics. “His name would make every little coffee shop owner in the heart of Anatolia comfortable” said a respected political analyst. “The Gezi Park protesters may feel he is too religious, but look at his lifestyle.”

Indeed, Ekmel Bey, as we all refer to him now has a stealth weapon for the Kemalist ladies of İzmir and Istanbul. His wife, pharmacist Füsun İhsanoğlu is the symbol of a generation of women that grew up in traditional families with secular values and education. Her sheer presence, and yes, her image without the headscarf, is the biggest challenge to the secular circles that rush to criticize Mr. İhsanoğlu. Füsun İhsanoğlu’s family tree includes former Justice Party members and Süleyman Demirel’s allies. What this means is more than religion and secularism.

İhsanoğlu is almost a more intellectual Turgut Özal with bigger international credentials. His candidacy symbolizes the need in the Islamic World to reconcile religion with Western democracy. As the war in Iraq and Syria comes knocking on...