Assessment report : Changes in a New Era of Turkey’s Politics

This assessment paper provides an in-depth analysis of the post-restructured Turkish polity, effectively what he has termed a new era in Turkey’s politics. Prof Dr Erdem delves into the distinctive dynamics of the new political system, the actions and strategies of the various political parties and actors, and the ramifications this new system may have on future politics, democracy in Turkey and the Kurdish Issue. Overall, Prof Dr Erdem takes an optimistic outlook to the prospects of the new political era. The alliance system, he asserts, has made all political parties much more important in elections, upturning the old hallmarks that had previously typified Turkish politics. The new system may prove to compel parties to come together, compromise and ‘soften the language of politics’ in Turkey. This report was prepared for DPI by Prof Dr Hüsnü Erdem, Professor of Constitutional Law at Dicle University in Diyarbakır, Turkey. The views and opinions expressed in this assessment are his own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DPI.