Since winning Turkey’s 2023 national election, President Erdoğan and the ruling AK Party have seen their popularity plummet. In response, they’ve ramped up their repression of the main opposition party — most notably, jailing its presidential candidate, Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and removing party leader Özgür Özel.
Don’t miss Özel’s recent Journal of Democracy essay outlining his vision for restoring democracy in Turkey, along with our coverage of the country’s hard turn toward autocracy in the last year.
How We Restore Turkey’s Democracy
President Erdoğan’s rule has grown more repressive as he realizes he has no democratic path to power. But we are united in our resolve and determined to make Turkey a democratic republic worthy of its people.
By Özgür Özel
How to Fight Turkey’s Authoritarian Turn
As President Erdoğan’s grip on power is slipping, his regime is turning more repressive. But Turkey may still avoid becoming a full-blown autocracy. The opposition is increasingly popular, and there remains a way to tilt the playing field to their advantage.
By Berk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu
Turkey’s Hard Road to Democratic Renewal
Turkey’s democratic future hinges on its opposition parties doing something few expected: winning elections in unfair conditions. Yet the opposition’s strong performance in local elections suggests that they may be putting together a winning formula for Turkey and beyond.
By Ayça Alemdaroğlu, Toygar Sinan Baykan, Ladin Bayurgil, and Aytuğ Şaşmaz
Secularism, Islamism, and the Future of Turkey
The political struggle between President Erdoğan and opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu is a fierce battle for the country’s democracy. But it goes deeper than that. It is also a struggle between Islamist and secularist visions of Turkey.
By Ahmet T. Kuru
After Crackdown, Is Turkey an Autocracy?
Turkey’s president would rather turn his country into a full autocracy than give up power. But the Turkish people are clinging to what remains of their democracy, and they are ready to fight for it.
By Berk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu
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