Shaping Turkey’s Democratic Future – Episode 2: THE BATTLE FOR TURKEY’S OPPOSITION

Turkey has been a multiparty democracy since 1945, but its democratic development has been repeatedly disrupted by military interventions and the suppression of political opposition. Since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002, Turkey’s political system has undergone a profound transformation, accompanied by increasing restrictions on press freedom, human rights and political opposition.

The CHP’s landslide victory in the 2024 local elections raised hopes that voters could still shift the political balance through the ballot box. Yet the subsequent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdoğan’s most prominent political challenger, and increasing judicial pressure on the CHP – such as the removal of the party leadership by court ruling – highlight that the regime is prepared to overturn electoral defeat and reshape the political landscape through a judiciary that serves its interests.

The panel will discuss, amongst other questions: Is Turkey crossing the line from electoral democracy towards outright authoritarianism? How much resistance can Turkish society and the opposition mobilise? Can a divided opposition mount a credible democratic challenge? And how resilient is Erdoğan’s increasingly personalised system of power? Finally, what can the EU, European political parties and civil society do to support democratic institutions and Turkey’s parliamentary opposition – and help preserve the possibility of genuine political competition?

Participants:

Berk Esen, Sabanci University
Görkem Yaz, MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Centre

Presenters:
Cengiz Günay, Austrian Institute for International Affairs – oiip

In cooperation with Austrian Institute for International Affairs.