Drop Site News Turkey Marches Towards Authoritarianism as It Becomes a Global Power
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Jun 6, 2025 In this discussion, Selim Koru, an analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey and author of 'New Turkey and the Far Right,' dives into the intensifying authoritarianism under President Erdogan. He analyzes the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, highlighting the resulting protests and implications for Turkish democracy. Koru also explores Turkey's evolving geopolitical ambitions, its complex relationship with Kurdish groups, and the rising influence of far-right nationalism. His insights shed light on a nation at a pivotal crossroads.
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Erdogan's Political Reframing
- Erdogan's government reframes Turkey's politics by limiting traditional republican ideas and redefining political norms.
- Kurdish identitarian politics become politically acceptable while left-wing Kurdish and broad-based populist leftist politics face suppression.
Erdogan Controls Military
- Erdogan dismantled military factions that facilitated coups with help from the Gülenists.
- The failed 2016 Gülenist coup led to their purge and consolidation of Erdogan's control over the military.
AKP as Far Right Movement
- The AKP and Islamists are far right, centered on identity politics rather than governance efficiency.
- Turkish Islamism and Turkic nationalism prioritize identity as the core political issue.