Turkey: An Unstable State

On July 15, 2016, a coup d’état was attempted in Turkey by factions within the Turkish Armed Forces. After the initial strike, it was revealed that the attempted coup was executed by an organization that dubbed themselves the Peace at Home Council, which was composed of a minority of the Turkish military force. The organization attempted to take control of key state institutions in Ankara and Istanbul through the bombing of government buildings like the Turkish Parliament and Presidential Palace, as well as occupying Taksim Square in Istanbul. The “Peace Council” released a statement proclaiming that Turkey was under military rule subsequently after the strikes, referencing Erdogan’s apparent role in the decline of democracy in Turkey as motivation. The president heavily blamed this particular coup on party sympathizers of Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turkish religious and political figure. Gulen’s movement is described as “a moderate, pro-Western brand of Sunni Islam that appeals to many well-educated and professional Turks” by the New York Times. Although the coup failed, the aftermath of the attempted takeover has raised many issues both domestically and internationally.

What prompted the coup?  

The coup was mainly as a result of dissatisfaction within the Turkish Armed Forces over President Erdogan and his government’s move towards a larger role for Islam in public life and, therefore a less secular, less democratic government (Barker, 2016) . Erdogan initially appeared to be out of the country on a holiday in the early beginnings of the takeover; however, in the hours during the coup, President Erdogan responded on his mobile phone to CNN Turk with a call to his supporters to “take to the streets against the uprising” and ordered for a no-fly zone over Ankara (BBC, 2016b). Due to the lack of public support and military backing, the Turkish Armed Forces were swiftly neutralized by the large numbers of pro-government masses. As a result of the failed coup, more than 300 people were killed and 2,100 injured (Ward, 2016). Despite the early surrender of the involved military sect, the Turkish government has detained more than 40,000 people and arrested more than 20,000 since July 15 for suspected loyalty to Fethullah Gulen, the alleged organizer of the coup, leading to a mass purge (Kennedy, 2016). Despite the release of all but 5,187 of the original detainees, nearly 80,000 educators and civil servants have been suspended with more than 5,000 dismissed, and Amnesty International reports some of those detained have been subject to torture and rape (Hanna & Hume, 2016). The aftermath of the failed coup raises questions about the Turkish government’s role in the republic and their response to countries within NATO and the EU.

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What is the global impact of Turkey’s failed coup?

Immediately, national and global implications of Turkey's coup have already become apparent. This event has been largely defined by the state's support of a narrative that portrays the event as an Islamist movement for the defense of democracy and a rupture with the country’s secular past, which began under Kemal Ataturk, the first president of the Republic of Turkey. The popular resistance to the coup and Erdogan’s public discourse have led to a period of relative national cohesion, and the consolidation of the president's control of the state. When discussing the international repercussions of the coup, Turkey's role as a NATO member comes into play, as well as the international implications of this partnership, which remains a definitive factor in shaping the nation's foreign policy. In the wake of the coup and the convergence of power in the figure of President Erdogan, his anti-western policies and authoritarian rule have become center stage issues. The state crackdown and arbitrary arrests, which have even been defined as a political purge of governmental opposition, caused concerns in the international community. Nevertheless, the United States has restated its support for the legitimate rule of the elected Turkish government. Furthermore, the instability of Turkish politics is seen as a threat to the cohesion of NATO's military front, and may hinder operations against ISIS militias and heighten regional instability, as Turkey’s position against ISIS becomes increasingly precarious, as seen in the image below.

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Sources

rker, A. (2016, July 18). Turkey divided between secular and Islamist rule. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-18/turkey-coup-attempt-shows-division-over-wish-for-islamist-rule/7639292

BBC, N. (2016, July 17). Turkey's coup attempt: What you need to know. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36816045

BBC, N. (2016, July 16). Turkish President Erdogan appears in Istanbul to denounce army coup attempt. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36809083

Hanna, J., & Hume, T. (2016, July 27). Turkey detainees tortured, raped after failed coup, group says. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/26/europe/turkey-coup-attempt-aftermath/

Kennedy, M. (2016, August 20). A Month After Turkey's Failed Coup, Taking Stock Of A Sweeping Purge. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/08/20/490677989/a-month-after-turkeys-failed-coup-taking-stock-of-a-sweeping-purge

Krastev, I. (2016). Can a Post-Coup Turkey Get Along with Europe? Retrieved September 17, 2016.from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/opinion/can-a-post-coup-turkey-get-along-with-europe.html

La Porte, A., Watson, I., & Tuysuz, G. (2016, July 16). Fethullah Gulen: The man blamed for coup attempt in Turkey. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/16/middleeast/fethullah-gulen-profile/index.html

Torun, K. (2016, July 22). Turkey coup attempt: What happened that night? Retrieved September 18, 2016,from http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/07/turkey-coup-attempt-happened-night-160721132018415.html

Ward, B. (2016, August 03). The Government Response to Turkey's Coup Is an Affront to Democracy. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/08/03/government-response-turkeys-coup-affront-democracy

Yeginsu, C. (2016, August 23). After Failed Coup, Turkey Enjoys a Rare Period of Unity. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/world/europe/after-failed-coup-turkey-settles-into-a-rare-period-of-unity.html

Group Members: Claire Acree, Grace Hale, Safya Osman, Ester Brito Ruiz