Turkey’s Hybrid Competitive Authoritarian Regime; A Genuine Product of Anatolia’s Middle Class

Nikolaos Stelgias

doi:10.6017/lev.v4i2.9161

Abstract

Few years since the 9/11 Attacks in New York and following its rise to power, the AKP has gradually established a so-called “competitive authoritarian regime,” in order to consolidate and secure its political power. This regime is hybrid and it is based on liberal principles (absence of tutelary authorities, protection of civil liberties, universal suffrage, free elections etc.). The AKP also provides for a reasonably fair level of political competition between the party in power (government) and the opposition. At the same time, however, the system shows some undemocratic features (violation of civil liberties, unfair elections, and uneven political competition.) This hybrid regime is based on three pillars: the state, the party and a newly emerged middle class in Anatolia. Through this hybrid regime Anatolia’s newly emerged middle class redefines its cultural and socio-economic relations.

Highlights

Few years since the 9/11 Attacks in New York and following its rise to power, the AKP has gradually established a so-‐called “competitive authoritarian regime,” in order to consolidate and secure its political power
According Levitsky and Way, one important aspect of hybrid competitive authoritarian regimes is the absence of non-‐elected “tutelary” authorities which limit the powers exercised by the government
The absence of non-‐elected tutelary authority, the important initiatives taken for the democratization and protection of liberties, free elections and the reasonably fair level of political competition constitute only one side of Turkey

Summary

Turkey’s Liberal Face

Hybrid competitive authoritarian regimes look like a two-‐sided coin. According to Levitsky and Way, competitive authoritarian regimes are civil regimes in which democratic institutions are widely seen as means to gain power. According Levitsky and Way, one important aspect of hybrid competitive authoritarian regimes is the absence of non-‐elected “tutelary” authorities (e.g., military establishment, monarchy or religious institutions,) which limit the powers exercised by the government.. According Levitsky and Way, one important aspect of hybrid competitive authoritarian regimes is the absence of non-‐elected “tutelary” authorities (e.g., military establishment, monarchy or religious institutions,) which limit the powers exercised by the government.6 This is exactly the case in Turkey since 2007.

The Other Side

The Sate in AKP’s Service

Anatolia’s Newly Emerged Middle Class

Findings

Conclusion