Professional Documents
Culture Documents
June 2, 2015
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Analysis
spheres. This transformation is also a harbinger of what to
expect in the post-election period. The political manifestation of the Alevi identity is set to gain steam going forward,
and political parties will increasingly need to respond to
that communitys demands. If handled well, this process will
prove healthy for Turkeys democracy and politics as it will
deactivate one of Turkeys most active contemporary fault
lines.
Kurds and Islamists Politics of Expansionism
and its Possible Implications
The Islamists and Kurds are proving to be the most dynamic
socio-political forces shaping contemporary Turkey, but
increasingly in opposition to each other. In this election, the
rival that the governing AKParty is taking most seriously is
the pro-Kurdish HDP. No other partys election result will
have as much impact on the AKPartys post-election strategies as the HDPs. Both factions, as they have matured, have
set forth expansionist visions for their socio-political reach.
The governing AKParty has already experienced more than
a decade of such expansionism. Despite the fact that its
core founding group was largely made up of ex-political
Islamists, it swiftly incorporated a large chunk of the center
right, and even a fraction of the center left, as well as liberals
and Kurds into its constituency. The HDP seems to be
looking to pursue a similarly expansionist political vision.
It wants to go beyond its core Kurdish cadres and social
constituency by incorporating Alevis, Turkish liberals and
leftists, and conservative/pious Kurds, a portion of whom
for one reason or another has grown disillusioned with the
AKParty. These HDP policies illustrate that the party, at
least for the time being, has resolved its dilemma of whether
to pursue an enlargement or a deepening strategy.
Analysis
through decentralization, the devolution of power from the
center to the periphery, and the states accommodation of
different cultures and languages in public administration.
All in all, the pre-election process has demonstrated that
the HDPs ideological/political repositioning motivates it to
pursue the role of a formidable opposition to the AKParty,
whereas its demands for the structural and systemic reform
of Turkeys political system and state structure necessitates
it to work with the governing party, as there seems to be
no better candidate for the HDP to work with in the short
and medium term. This incompatibility between the HDPs
political demands and its political positioning force it to
walk a fine line between them.
Analysis
sition. The opposition has come to grasp the importance of
bread and butter issues in convincing voters.
Lastly, the formation of a new political center is contingent
upon the recognition by all parties that the previous status
quo has been shattered irreversibly. Even though it is hard
to gauge, the political parlance and election manifestos of
all major parties suggest that they have arrived at such a
conclusion. Irrespective of the outcome of the upcoming
elections, if the parties stick to this apparent conviction, this
will facilitate shift to a new political center.
About GMF
The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) strengthens
transatlantic cooperation on regional, national, and global challenges
and opportunities in the spirit of the Marshall Plan. GMF contributes
research and analysis and convenes leaders on transatlantic issues
relevant to policymakers. GMF offers rising leaders opportunities to
develop their skills and networks through transatlantic exchange, and
supports civil society in the Balkans and Black Sea regions by fostering
democratic initiatives, rule of law, and regional cooperation. Founded
in 1972 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization through a gift from
Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance, GMF
maintains a strong presence on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition
to its headquarters in Washington, DC, GMF has offices in Berlin,
Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, Bucharest, and Warsaw. GMF also
has smaller representations in Bratislava, Turin, and Stockholm.