Authoritarianism in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey is a member of NATO and has long been upheld by the West as proof that a Muslim-majority state can maintain a stable democracy. However, the current regime seeks to establish executive power over the judiciary in a move that would violate the separation of powers. This demonstrates an attempt by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to subjugate the state without oversight from other parties or branches of government. As constitutional talks have broken down and no new draft is scheduled, any attempt to institutionalize a new system of government has met with failure. Executive decrees and legislation indicate this regime’s authoritarian proclivities, which have precluded EU membership despite initial efforts to the contrary. This thesis applies the authoritarian models of Juan Linz to examineTurkey’s political system. Results indicateTurkey should be classified as an authoritarian state, both before and after the rise of the AKP.