Turkey at the crossroads
Turkey’s president, who has already injured democracy, stifled dissent and blown wind into the sails of Islamism in his country, is poised to take the leap from demagogue to dictator. Hope against hope that Recep Tayyip Erdogan loses his bid to accumulate far more power via a national referendum Sunday.
Geographically, the Republic of Turkey, pop. 80 million, is part of Europe. Demographically, it is Muslim. Strategically, the NATO member and American ally sits at a delicate crux, bordering Greece on one side, Iran on another, Iraq and refugee-bleeding Syria on another.
Historically, the onetime cradle of the Ottoman Empire is celebrated for having early in the 20th century, under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, forged a secular government and cosmopolitan culture that has largely stood the test of time.
Erdogan has been upending that tradition since serving as prime minister in 2003, and as president since 2014.
From the start, he signaled to the most religious, even radical Muslim, traditionalists in the natino’s heartland that he would be their friend in the highest place. That meant strategically antagonizing millions of well-educated, western-leaning urbanites.
The shockwaves of a failed military coup last year amplified Erdogan’s worst instincts.
In a sweeping crackdown on suspected enemies of the state, some 50,000 people have been arrested, and more than 100,000 fired.
Mock Erdogan on social media, which the president has called the “worst menace to society”? Get arrested; insulting the president is a crime, now vigorously enforced.
Last week, a prominent Turkish actor shared a cartoon critical of the dear leader — and got a suspended prison sentence of 11 months, 20 days.
And the Erdogan government has terrorized an ostensibly free press, rounding up some 150 writers who dared challenge their leader. China was once the world’s top jailer of journalists. Now Turkey holds the ignominious distinction.
Under the new constitution to be approved or rejected Sunday, the Turkish president would become head of government as well as head of state.
He would gain the ability to pass some laws by decree and dismiss parliament. More control over hiring and firing judges. And the right to run for two more terms, potentially staying in office until 2028.
Parliament would lose the ability to summon cabinet ministers to testify.
To be sure, Erdogan sits between a rock (and quite literally, Iraq) and a hard place. ISIS and its allies have Turkey in their crosshairs. Kurdish militants are waging war against the state. And American-based cleric Fethullah Gulen is eager to make mischief.
The people of Turkey today decide whether to scrap the parliamentary system that has, for the most part, served their nation well, replacing it with a strong and unchecked presidency.
This would be unwise under ordinary circumstances. At this moment, under an authoritarian like Erdogan, it’s downright dangerous.