Turkey: rising influence, eroding freedoms

Turkey has been talking the talk of democratic reform, but has not been walking the walk. This was the conclusion reached on Friday afternoon as the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) gathered to discuss Turkey’s contradictory position as a leader of democracy in the region, while still struggling with human rights abuses and suppressing freedom of expression.

Moderator Susan Corke of Freedom House optimistically introduced the topic, claiming this is a moment of opportunity and positive transformation in Turkey. The Turkish government has been progressively addressing serious issues such as constitutional reform, peace the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and improved relations with Iraqi Kurdistan. Despite this hopeful tone, Turkey needs to fulfill its democratic promise by becoming more aware of its problems with societal inclusion and suppression of free speech.

Howard Eissenstat, professor at St. Lawrence University, emphasized the need to center the conversation on human rights issues in Turkey.  Turkey has a successful economy, educational system and democratic institutions but still harbors grave faults. He elaborated on three of Turkey’s biggest problems:

1. Turkish democracy is illiberal.  A culture of militarism and hesitancy about diversity reinforce this. Progress has been made on societal inclusion, but Armenians and Kurds do not feel like full members of society.  
2. Prime Minister Erdogan and his party (AKP) have created a powerful political machine. Its political success is so great that Turkish democracy lacks a legitimate opposition party. The AKP’s dominance and political patronage is stunting Turkish democracy.
3. International pressure, not domestic requirements, drives reform.  Turkey continues to pass laws to protect freedom of expression, religion and the press, with the government instituting multiple reform packages. The motive however is not an intrinsic desire for reform, but rather international acceptance.

Turkey has a big appetite for reform legislation, but actual practice is minimalist.

Yigal Schleifer, an independent journalist and analyst, explained how Turkey’s faults affect its  relations with the wider region.  The AKP portrays itself as the fresh face of reform but in reality it has been in power for so long that it has become the big state that it once fought against.

The AKP has reinvented its foreign policy in the past few years. Relations with the US are less rocky, the relationship with NATO has been renewed and, most significantly, negotiation with the Kurds continues.  The underlying interest is stronger and safer ties to the US and other Western allies.

Continuation of the EU accession process is important. Despite the waning prospects for Turkey to join the EU, the process is an engine for reform that helps Turkey and the EU grow politically and diplomatically. 

How should the US and allies help Turkey fulfill its democratic promise?

Eissenstat stressed that the US should push Turkey to adopt more inclusive reform packages that protect freedom of expression.  Erdogan’s brusque personality and strong sense of honor partially account for the large number of defamation cases that activists and journalist face.  President Obama should use his good relationship with Erdogan to criticize the AKP’s restrictive policies and to push for serious reforms. Corke noted that if Turkey wants to be an international player, they need a thicker skin for criticism.