Understanding the Transformation of Political and Military Elites during the Democratic Reform Process in Turkey via the ‘Kurdish Question’

Mehtap Söyler, Humboldt-Universität - Berlin

Transformation of Political and Military Elites in Turkey

The dissertation examines the interaction between political and military elites relating to guaranteeing the rights of Kurdish people through the democratic reforms that were enacted towards the fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria of the EU. Central to my research interest are the negotiation processes, which provide an understanding of all relevant actors in the course of democratic consolidation. For this purpose, I analyze the formation and implementation of the constitutional amendments and legislative packages from 2001 (adoption of the National Program for the Adoption of the Acquis) until 2007, by means of an explicit elite-centered approach within the framework of transformation research.

Main thesis question: Does the interaction of political elites and military elites indicate a consensus on the basic rules of democracy in Turkey? This question will be dealt with by means of the ‘Kurdish question’.

• Sub-question 1: Through which strategies does the EU as an external stabilizing factor try to influence this interaction?
• Sub-question 2: Are the democratic reforms guaranteeing the rights of Kurdish people considered legitimate by Turkish citizens?

My thesis is that the course and the success of democratic consolidation in Turkey will be ultimately determined by the ability of political and military elites to build consensus. The Kurdish question is the litmus test for the success of democratic consolidation in Turkey, which is a dynamic process, where the EU as well as other relevant elites in Turkey exercise crucial impact.