The Nexus of Leadership, Political Empowerment and Social Mobilization: The Case of July 15 Coup Attempt in Turkey

Abstract

This study analyzes the mutually empowering relations between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his followers, and how Erdoğan’s charismatic leadership and image functioned to galvanize his followers on the night of July 15, 2016, when large numbers of them mobilized against the attempted coup. The article has three sections. The first is a theoretical discussion which sheds light on the concept and the underlying mechanisms of political empowerment and its effects on the relationships between leaders and followers in order to understand how the two influence each other, especially in times of political crisis. The second section evaluates Erdoğan’s characteristics and ruling style, which was instrumental in motivating resistance to the abortive coup, in order to establish the relevance of the empowerment thesis to the specific case of Turkey. Finally, the third section analyzes the various means by which Erdoğan was able to inspire the masses to mobilize against the armed junta through interviews and observations.