Erdogan’s Turkey: Politics, Populism and Democratisation Dilemmas

The nearly two decades of Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi (AKP; Justice and Development Party) rule has raised a number of questions on the advancement or reversal of democratisation in Turkey. Besides the partisan debate on increasing authoritarian behaviour of Erdogan, there have been limited attempts to comprehensively examine the way AKP has shaped the Turkish politics in the context of the democratisation debate. An analysis of three key components of contemporary politics—political institutions, civil–military relations, and the public sphere—underscores the key challenges facing Turkish democracy. Erdogan’s authoritarian style and power politics poses serious dilemmas for Turkey’s future. Turkey is staring towards perpetuation of the one-man rule that can only be challenged through electoral politics.

About the Author

Md. Muddassir Quamar is Associate Fellow in the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. He holds a Ph.D. in Middle East studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. His areas of interest include politics and societies in the Gulf, Middle East strategic affairs, and political Islam. His research papers have appeared in leading international journals including Asian Affairs, Strategic Analysis, Contemporary Arab Affairs, etc. He has contributed chapters for edited volumes and regularly writes opinion pieces for national and international websites and magazines. His co-authored book India’s Saudi Policy: Bridge to the Future was published in 2019 by Palgrave Macmillan.