QUO VADIS, TURKEY?

Sabine Kroissenbrunner in conversation with Yavuz Köse

QUO VADIS, TURKEY?

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has led Turkey with his AKP („Justice and Development Party“) since 2003. The first decade was characterised by economic growth and social improvements for the Turkish and Kurdish population. In 2005, Turkey was granted EU accession candidate status and the AKP seemingly embodied the compatibility of Islam, democracy and economic liberalism.

From 2013, the situation changed with increasing protests and repressive reactions from the government. In 2016, an attempted coup failed, followed by waves of arrests and increased repression. Two years later, in 2018, the introduction of the presidential system led to an excessive concentration of power in favour of the president, restricted civil liberties and a stronger focus on religion. Since then, Turkey has been categorised as an electoral autocracy.

Despite economic difficulties, Erdoğan won the election again in 2023. However, domestic support is falling. The 2024 local elections meant heavy losses for the AKP in large parts of the country, making it only the second strongest force in the country. Where is Turkey heading in the future and what will it take to return to a democratic course?

Yavuz Köse is Professor of Turkish Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the University of Vienna. His research interests include social, economic and consumer history, environmental and tourism history, history of science as well as migration and labour history of the Ottoman Empire and Turkey.

Sabine Kroissenbrunner, Secretary General of the Bruno Kreisky Forum