Reading the 2015 Turkish Parliamentary Elections: Useful Terms for Analysis

Policy Brief (German Marshall Fund of the United States) May 29, 2015

Özgehan Şenyuva *

The June 2015 Turkish Parliament (Grand National Assembly) election may be one of the most important elections in recent Turkish political history. Electoral studies literature may help to put the Turkish electoral debate in context. Three concepts are particularly useful and relevant for the upcoming Turkish elections: political polarization, islands of agreement, and loser’s consent.

* Özgehan Şenyuva works extensively on public opinion, Turkey-European relations and the politics of European football. He is an associate professor in the international relations department at Middle East Technical University, Ankara.

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