The Republic of Turkey

1. The Republic of Turkey Patrick N. Anderson Tuma

2. Turkey is a parliamentary representative democracy surrounded by Europe and Asia. Turkey's unique location has given it major influence in the region - and control over the entrance to the Black Sea.

3. Brief History • Former center of the Ottoman Empire • Modern secular republic was established in the 1920s by nationalist leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – He became the first President • Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923 led to the international recognition of the sovereignty of the "Republic of Turkey" • In 1945Turkey transitioned to a multiparty democracy

4. A Muslim democracy? • According to the Turkish Government, 99 percent of their population is Muslim. • The Constitution of Turkey provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contribute to the generally free practice of religion, but constitutional provisions regarding the integrity and existence of the “secular state” restrict these rights. • The 1982 Constitution establishes the country as a secular state and provides for freedom of belief, worship, and the private spreading of religious ideas. The Constitution prohibits discrimination on religious grounds. • The Government oversees Muslim religious facilities and courses through the Directorate of Religious Affairs, which is under the authority of the Prime Ministry.

5. Political Parties • Only parties that win at least 10% of the votes cast in a national parliamentary election gain the right to representation in the parliament • Since 2007, 3 political parties have been represented in parliament, plus a group of “independents” • Center Right: Justice and Development Party (AK Party) • Since the 2002 general elections, an absolute majority of the seats have been held by members of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party leading to a single-party government • Center Left: Republican People's Party (CHP) • Far Right: Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) • Independents • Kurdish politicians from the Democratic Society Party (DTP) overcame the 10% rule by contesting their elections as independents; 24 of them were elected, enabling them to constitute their own faction in the Assembly

6. Leadership • The President of the Republic is the head of state and has a largely ceremonial role • Elected for 5-year terms by direct election. They must be over 40 years old and hold a bachelor's degree. • Executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. • Prime Minister is elected by the parliament through a vote of confidence in the government and is most often the head of the party having the most seats in parliament. • Legislative power is vested in the unicameral parliament, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. • 550 members, elected for a four year term by a system based on proportional representation. • The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature, and the Constitutional Court is charged with ruling on the conformity of laws and decrees with the constitution.

7. President • Abdullah Gül • Previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002–03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07 • Member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP)

8. Prime Minister • RecepTayyipErdoğan • Member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) • Served prison time for reciting a poem in 1997, which, under the Turkish penal code, was regarded as an incitement of religious or racial hatred. • Subsequently, banned from running for parliament. • Erdoğanwas able to run for Parliament thanks to a legal change made possible by the opposition Republican People’s Party. The AK Party duly listed Erdoğan as a candidate for a rescheduled election, and he won, and was voted prime minister.

9. Alliances • Balkan States (sort of) • Serbia, Romania, etc. • Turkey has close historical, cultural, economic and political ties with some of the Balkan states, which are important for Turkey as they are the country's gateway to continental Europe. • Azerbaijan • Turkey has been a staunch supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity and realize its economic potential arising from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea.

10. “Enemies” • Armenia • Relations have long been strained by a number of historical-political issues including Turkish dispute of the Armenian Genocide during World War I. Turkey's bias towards Azerbaijan has not gained them any favor. • Germany • Today, Turks are Germany's largest ethnic minority and form most of Germany's Muslim minority. Are they the reason they haven’t been admitted into the European Union? • Greece • Aegean dispute • Turkey and Greece have clashed for decades over the status of Aegean islands and over the extent of territorial waters and airspace. Only U.S. and NATO intervention have subsided conflict. • Turkey has long been at odds with Greece over the divided island of Cyprus

11. They just want to be in the eu • The Turkish application to join the European Economic Community (now the European Union) as an associate member in 1959 resulted in associate membership in 1963 • Problems in foreign policy such as the Cyprus conflict and the internal political turbulence from the 1970s until the early 1980s forced Turkey to delay applying for full membership of the European Community until 1987. • The application was rejected, although the E.C. did say that Turkish membership could occur at some point in the future. • The European Union confirmed Turkey's status as candidate for membership at the European Council's Helsinki Summit in 1999. • The EU said Turkey had to make significant reforms, particularly in the field of human rights, before the talks could begin. • Turkey's current administration has identified EU membership as its top priority, and has taken many reform packages through the Parliament aimed at gradually harmonizing Turkey with EU standards.

12. Relationship with the United states • The U.S. and Turkey have had a Joint Economic Commission and a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement for several years. In 2002, both governments indicated their joint intent to upgrade bilateral economic relations by launching an Economic Partnership Commission. In 2005, Turkish exports to the U.S. totaled $4.9 billion, and U.S. exports to Turkey totaled $5.3 billion. • According to leaked diplomatic cables from WikiLeaks, Prime Minister Erdoğanhas been described by US diplomats as having "little understanding of politics beyond Ankara" and as surrounding himself with an "iron ring of sycophantic advisors.” • Erdogan responded strongly to the claims, threatening a lawsuit. He stated that the people responsible for the leaks will "be crushed under these claims.”

13. Question for the Class • If you had the deciding vote, would you admit Turkey into the European Union? Why or why not?

14. Resources • Hauss, C. (2009). The European Union. Comparative politics: domestic responses to global challenges (6th ed., pp. 175-195). Belmont, CA: West/Wadsworth Pub. Co.. • Lister, T. (2010, November 30). Leaked cables point to vital, volatile U.S. relationship with Turkey - CNN.com. CNN.com International - Breaking, World, Business, Sports, Entertainment and Video News. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/11/29/wikileaks.turkey/?hpt=C1 • Profile: Abdullah Gul. (n.d.). BBC News - Home. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6595511.stm • Turkey. (n.d.). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3432.htm • Turkey International Religious Freedom Report 2008. (2008.). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2008/108476.htm • Turkey country profile. (n.d.). BBC News - Home. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1022222.stm