Why did the AKP fail this time?

The night of June 7 was pleasantly surprising for many Turks that I know - and myself. The results of the general election showed that the 13-year-long reign of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which was quite clean and liberating in its initial phase but later turned increasingly corrupt and authoritarian, finally faced a setback. Turkish society proved wiser than being merely in the ruling party's pocket, and we can use football terminology to say that it was able show the AKP a "yellow card."

In fact, this card was shown in particular to President Tayyip Erdo?an, who must be "non-partisan" according to the constitution but who was undoubtedly the master of the AKP. Many voters who still approve of the party's pragmatic policies were fed up with the aggressive triumphalism of Erdo?an and his latter-day cronies. Meanwhile, many conservative Kurds who voted for the AKP in the past for its "openings" toward them were disillusioned or even angry at the "Erdo?an language" of the past year. This language included his insensitive tone for the embattled Kurds in Kobane in northern Syria, his declaration that "there is no Kurdish issue any more," and his bitterness directed toward the pro-Kurdish HDP.

That is why the HDP emerged as the greatest victor from the ballots. They won millions of Kurdish votes that had previously gone to the AKP, as well as the votes of many liberals and some secularists who saw them as the safest bulwark against the AKP.  They proved wise enough to see and seize the opportunity. 
All this should show to Erdo?an and his supporters that aggressive triumphalism does not always do wonders. Their fear- and hate-mongering propaganda machine does not always convince the majority of society. So will they give up this...