Turkey's Electoral Dictatorship

If there is a silver lining in Erdoğan's transformation of Turkey, in barely three years, from a model for liberalizing Arab countries to a dictatorship resembling those overthrown in Egypt and Tunisia, it is that many Turks have a clearer understanding that liberal democracy requires sustainable checks and balances. Those who participated in ending the military's role as a political guardian now recognize that Turkey needs new institutions to protect basic freedoms and ensure limited government.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to members of parliament from his ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara on April 8, 2014. Erdogan, emerging triumphant from last weekend's local polls, again pledged a war against his rivals he blames for illegal wiretaps and graft claims targeting his allies. AFP PHOTO / ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to members of parliament from his ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara on April 8, 2014. Erdogan, emerging triumphant from last weekend's local polls, again pledged a war against his rivals he blames for illegal wiretaps and graft claims targeting his allies. AFP PHOTO / ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

From Project Syndicate

If there is a silver lining in Erdoğan's transformation of Turkey, in barely three years, from a model for liberalizing Arab countries to a dictatorship resembling those overthrown in Egypt and Tunisia., it is that many Turks have a clearer understanding that liberal democracy requires sustainable checks and balances. Those who participated in ending the military's role as a political guardian now recognize that Turkey needs new institutions to protect basic freedoms and ensure limited government.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot