July 22nd, 2008 by Adam

Looking at the Turkish Constitutional Court case to ban the AKP and the current prosecution of those who plotted a coup against the government, Soli Ozel of the Daily Star says their is reason to be optimistic about the future of Turkish politics. The attempt to ban the AKP is an attempt by the feeble opposition to maintain their relevance. Ozel says the case against the coup plotters illustrates that the Western-oriented, liberal faction of the military may be supplanting the secular authoritarianism of the old order. However, Ozel warns, “In short, the days of military tutelage over Turkey’s politics are arguably over. Whether or not Turkey’s civilian politicians, particularly the AKP (or its successor party in the undesirable event of closure), will rise to the challenge of firmly establishing the rule of law and engage Turkey determinedly in a secular, liberal, democratic path remains to be seen.”

Posted in Reform, Secularism, Turkey |