Türkiye
Türkiye exhibits a low-range performance across three of the categories of the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) framework (Rights, Rule of Law and Participation), and it performs in the mid-range with regard to Representation. It is among the bottom 25 per cent of countries in most factors of democracy performance. Between 2018-2023, Türkiye did not experience any notable shifts in performance, although, over a ten-year period, the country did experience significant declines in all three GSoD categories, except for Participation. An upper-middle-income country, Türkiye's economy is primarily characterized by its industrial and service sectors, although significant portions of its land are devoted to agriculture. Major exports include textiles, fabrics, iron and steel, as well as fruits, vegetables, and livestock.
Türkiye boasts a rich and diverse history spanning thousands of years, strategically located on the Anatolian peninsula as a bridge between Europe and Asia. This region has been the center of power for significant empires, including the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. The disintegration of the Ottoman Empire following its defeat in World War I sparked the Turkish national movement, led by Kemal Atatürk, which established the modern secular republic of Türkiye in 1923. The major cleavages in Türkiye include those between ethnic Turks and Kurds, its urban and rural population, and secularism and Islam. Kurds, who face significant discrimination, comprise about 20 per cent of the Turkish population, and since 1984 the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) has waged an intermittent armed campaign for Kurdish independence that has resulted in 30,000 to 40,000 deaths. Türkiye stands as the “leading global host of refugees,” currently accommodating nearly 4 million refugees, with approximately 3.6 million from Syria. However, anti-refugee sentiment has grown in Türkiye, resulting in anti-Syrian riots, reports of deportations, rights violations and forced relocations.
Since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) took power in 2002, the main political divide has been between mostly rural, conservative and religious Turks and their urban, liberal and secular counterparts. With the president and ruling party identifying explicitly with the former group, the latter have faced increasing restrictions, including barriers to civic activism following the 2013 Gezi Park protests, crackdowns on the opposition, activists, journalists, academia, higher education and the judiciary, as well as measures that have restricted free speech. After an attempted coup in 2016, President Erdoğan tightened his grip on power through the erosion of democratic institutions, and measures that included a two-year State of Emergency, mass purges and tens of thousands of arbitrary arrests, and a contested referendum that abolished the parliamentary system and concentrated power in the office of the president. Despite the end of the State of Emergency in 2018, most of its expanded state powers were prolonged via an anti-terror bill. Additionally, reports of incumbent advantages and biased media coverage raised questions about the credibility of elections. However, growing discontent over rights restrictions, the authorities' response to the 2023 earthquake, and economic deterioration contributed to the opposition's victory in the local elections in March 2024.
The GSoD Indices indicate that Türkiye has a low performance in Gender Equality. The country struggles with a significant gender gap in education, employment, income, and labour force. In 2021, Türkiye withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, which addresses violence against women and domestic violence, despite pervasive gender-based violence and femicide. As of September 2024, women constitute only 20 per cent of the seats in parliament. The rights of LGBTQIA+ people have been consecutively constrained under the incumbent government, through the banning of pride parades and the introduction of anti-LGBTQIA+ discourse in schools.
Looking ahead, particularly in light of the opposition’s victory in the 2024 local elections, it will be important to watch Rights, especially concerning Freedom of Expression, Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Association and Assembly. The government’s struggle to contain the country’s long-running economic crisis could have an additional effect on Economic Equality, and the crisis with Syrian refugees as well as restrictions on the LGBTQIA+ community can affect Social Group Equality. Challenges with the Rule of Law, particularly Judicial Independence, also require close observation. Finally, it is important to watch Credible Elections given the challenges faced in previous elections.
Last updated: September 2024
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
October 2024
Istanbul’s Esenyurt district opposition mayor arrested
Ahmet Özer, the mayor of Esenyurt, Istanbul’s most densely populated district, was arrested on 31 October for alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an organisation classified as terrorist by Türkiye, the EU, and numerous governments. Özer, a prominent member of the main opposition Republic Peoples Party (CHP), was subsequently removed from office and was replaced with Istanbul’s deputy governor, a government trustee. This move has been described as a “coup” by the CHP leader. The arrest was condemned by the opposition, who view the arrest as politically motivated and as having targeted Özer’s Kurdish identity. In November, prosecutors began investigating Özer over financing terrorism as well. Three other pro-Kurdish mayors in the country’s southeast were also dismissed and replaced by government-appointed trustees following similar allegations.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, Hurriyet Daily (1), Hurriyet Daily (2), Medya News
Terrorist attack against state-run defence company
On 23 October, the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), a major defence company in Ankara was subject to a terrorist attack, leaving five dead and 22 injured. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organisation, has claimed responsibility. The Turkish government has responded with airstrikes against targets in Iraq and Syria, where they believe the attackers are based.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Hurriyet
August 2024
Authorities impose and later lift Instagram ban without official explanation
The government-controlled Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) blocked Instagram on 2 August without an official explanation or a court order, violating users’ rights to freedom of expression and access to information. Approximately 50 million of Türkiye's 85 million citizens use Instagram. The reason for the ban is unclear, but the move followed accusations from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's communications director, who claimed Meta, Instagram's parent company, had removed condolence messages about Ismail Haniyeh, the former Hamas political leader, killed in Iran. Some officials attributed the ban to Instagram’s failure to remove alleged criminal content. Türkiye's internet law grants authorities wide-ranging powers to block websites, and the country has previously restricted access to platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Wikipedia, with the European Court of Human Rights and Türkiye’s Constitutional Court ruling such actions violated free expression. Instagram access was restored on 10 August after an unspecified agreement with Meta. The Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, stated that Instagram assured compliance with government requests on criminal activity and user censorship.
Sources: Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Human Rights Watch, Hurriyet, Euronews
July 2024
Anti-Syrian riots spread, leading to over 470 arrests
Riots erupted in Melikgazi and spread to other areas after Turkish authorities arrested a Syrian man for allegedly abusing a seven-year-old Syrian girl in Kayseri. Angered by the news, Turkish residents vandalized Syrian-owned shops, cars, and homes, demanding the expulsion of Syrians. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya condemned the actions, announcing the detention of over 470 individuals. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the violence and xenophobia, blaming opposition parties for inciting it. The events led to retaliatory actions against Turkish troops in Syria, and to Türkiye closing several border crossings with Syria. Türkiye, home to over 3.5 million Syrians since 2011 when the civil war started, has seen rising anti-refugee sentiment due to a severe economic crisis and high inflation. Similar riots occurred in 2021.
Sources: Dunya, Al Jazeera, Reuters
May 2024
Ruling AKP proposes ‘agents of influence’ legislation
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has proposed an amendment to Article 339 of the Penal Code, which could lead to imprisonment of up to seven years for those who research Turkish citizens, institutions, or foreigners in Türkiye for foreign interests, harming national security or political interests. This is expected to particularly impact journalists and researchers. The legislation is similar to Georgia's recently approved ‘foreign agents’ law. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on the Turkish government to abandon the legislation, expressing strong concern that it would negatively impact freedom of the press and freedom of expression, as journalists working for foreign-funded media could be jailed under the proposed amendment.
Sources: Reporters without Borders, Turkish Minute (1), Turkish Minute (2), Balkan Insight, International IDEA
Update: In November, the ruling AKP removed the law from an omnibus bill, indicating it could be reintroduced following further consultations. This decision followed strong opposition from civil society, journalists, and rights groups.
Sources: Amnesty International (1), Amnesty International (2), Bianet
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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023
Basic Information
Human Rights Treaties
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Performance by category over the last 6 months
Global State of Democracy Indices
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Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time
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