Turkish ultra–nationalists under review: a study of the Nationalist Action Party

Abstract

This article aims to study the phenomenon of the Turkish National Party (MHP) by reference to the ongoing theoretical debates on the subject of extreme right–wing parties. This is instrumental in finding out whether the MHP displays similar characteristics to its counterparts in Europe, and whether it is an extreme right, a fascist or a centre–right party. The primary hypothesis of this article is that the MHP features many similarities with its European counterparts and hence, is a member of the European extreme right–wing family. In order to test this hypothesis, firstly the historical development of the MHP is clarified. Secondly, the contemporary debates in the study of the extreme right–wing family and different approaches to it are presented. Finally, based on the common characteristics of the extreme right–wing parties in general, the aforementioned hypothesis is tested and verified. The main contention of this article is that the MHP shows all the characteristics of a European extreme right–wing party.