VIEWS FROM THE CAPITALS

Spring 2008

by Beril Dedeoglu

Turkey’s primary political force is now the Party of Justice and Development (AKP). It returned to power with a landslide victory in last year’s general elections and was able to defy all opposition to its choice of its deputy leader Abdullah Gul as Turkey’s new president. Given that the AKP grew out of the movement of political Islam − and that its predecessor parties were banned on several occasions − the party’s ascent marks a radical departure for a country built upon Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s strongly secular foundations. AKP politicians have had to adapt to the democratic values, and political and administrative framework, of the republic. After the turmoil of elections last year, the new government’s priorities include a new constitution and on-going efforts to address the Kurdish problem. Progress on EU accession talks will – as before − stay high on their agenda.

The AKP’s early days in power after they won their first general election in 2002 were marked by the transformation of traditional state structures in preparation for EU accession talks. These major reforms didn’t create any great backlash; intellectuals, democrats and liberals, plus the party faithful and people in rural and urban business circles, all lent their support to the AKP's efforts. The government was encouraged by the EU and received support from the US. It also met with no Russian obstructiveness. During this time, Turkey made overtures in the Caucasus, central Asia and the Middle East. Ankara also won praise for supporting UN peace efforts in Cyprus − in stark contrast to the country’s longstanding policy of non-cooperation over the divided island.

AKP-led reforms produced dramatic social changes – but also started to upset Turkey’s powerful military-bureaucratic organisations. Alarmed, the AKP turned back to its core constituency and some conservative elements in the party began to plot what critics construed to be putative pro-Muslim policies. Meanwhile, tensions within the EU over its continued enlargement robbed the Ankara government of valuable outside support. As the rift with the EU widened, the AKP withdrew further into its political shell and began to distance itself from broad-based supporters.

The opposition accused the AKP government of abandoning Turkey’s secular principles, which mobilised forces who saw themselves as guardians of the republican order. Meanwhile, the American occupation of Iraq provoked anti-western sentiment in Turkey, along with fears that events in Kurdish northern Iraq might benefit the illegal separatist PKK in Turkey. Antipathy towards the west was strengthened by the hostility shown in some European countries to Turkey’s EU membership bid. This encouraged a revival in Turkish nationalism, a trend that was supported by republican ''establishment'' institutions and other parties opposed to the AKP. It quickly turned into a sort of tribal battle within Turkish society, directed mainly against the country's non-Muslim minorities and the Kurdish movement − which re-ignited Kurdish nationalism too. It is important to note, though, that the mindset during this period was more nationalistic than religious.

During the run-up to the 2007 presidential election, this domestic political fault-line became plain, and it also took on more religious overtones. The opposition Republican People’s Party along with army generals tried to block the AKP’s nomination of foreign minister Abdullah Gul for president. There were also street protests over the prospect that Turkey’s first lady would wear the Muslim veil. But the AKP’s unprecedented victory ended the crisis and in August parliament elected Gul as president.

The people’s strong support for the AKP allowed the new government to put aside bogus arguments about secular-versus-religious politics in Turkey. But it still had to respond to questions about compulsory religious lessons, the “religious affiliation” section on identity cards and whether the veil should be banned at Turkish universities. Since ultimately these issues were all connected with the drive for greater democracy in the country, the government’s response was to incorporate them into proposals to change the constitution.

The government is also concerned to resolve the Kurdish problem. The latest terrorist acts perpetrated by the PKK may be decisive, along with Kurdish politicians’ response to violence. Pressure for unilateral military intervention in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq appears to have been circumvented − Ankara is seeking an international response involving Iraqi authorities. More important, Ankara is renewing co-operation with the US. Making progress on EU accession will remain a top priority for Turkish foreign policy. After a period of internal turmoil, Turkey appears to be regaining its confidence on the international stage, and inside the country too.