Turkey’s “Super Election Year” 2014: Winner Still Takes All?

PISM Policy Papers, No. 99 (552) 23 September 2013
The Polish Institute of International Affairs

by Pinar Elman *

A political system that marginalises smaller parties has allowed Turkey’s AKP government to centralise power while simultaneously promoting a consensual, reformist image. The Gezi protests were a direct result of this, expressing a sense of political disenfranchisement as well as a genuine effort to overcome the divisions in Turkish society. However, the country’s democratic system has not yet been reformed to take account of this. As Turkish political discourse heats up with the 2014 local and presidential elections, the focus of EU activity should therefore be on strengthening Turkey’s democratic institutions and fostering party political reform.

* Pinar Elman is an analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs.

Download full text (Format Pdf)