Political perceptions of party voters and members in Turkey

Abstract

This chapter examines the relationship between the political perceptions of party voters and party members in a highly polarised political context like Turkey's. It argues that polarisation is not a monolithic concept that applies equally to all individuals affiliated with one political party. The chapter aims to understand the level of polarisation across party members and voters. Polarisation can be defined as the opposite of moderation, whereby political actors adopt centrist, pragmatist and/or non-radical stances on politics and issues, and often end up converging towards the political center. Ideological views play an important role in building this connection as political parties are machines to resolve collective action problems among individual citizens. The former political tradition, also called the 'National Outlook', appeared back in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the National Order Party and the National Salvation Party, which were banned together with all other parties in 1981 during the September 12 military junta regime.