Changing perceptions of Turkish armed forces: taking stock of partisanship

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the changing public attitudes in Turkey towards the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), which has historically been among the country’s most trusted institutions. Informed by theoretical discussions in the literature and the political trajectory the country has taken over recent years, the study highlights partisan polarization and autocratization as two intertwining factors that inform public perceptions of the Turkish military. The analytical focus is mainly on the voters of the main opposition party. The findings of the regression analysis provide evidence for a significant and rather abrupt shift; CHP voters appear to have lost their confidence in the military. Following a reconfiguration of the political system over recent years, the TSK’s image has altered too. It seems it is not ‘the guardian of republican values’ anymore, but now instead ‘the military of a new, hybrid regime in the making’ where the boundaries between state and government are obfuscated.