Yaprak Gürsoy

Is There a Europeanization of Turkish Foreign Policy? An Addendum to the Literature on EU Candidates

Abstract The beginning of Turkey’s accession negotiations with the European Union on October 3, 2005 constituted an important turning point for Turkey’s relations with the EU and for Turkish socio‐political transformation. This paper poses the following questions: (i) Is there a Europeanization of Turkish foreign policy as a result of Turkey’s accession negotiations with the EU? (ii) If so, then what are the main areas and limits in which Europeanization of Turkish foreign policy has occurred? This paper answers these questions by providing a background of Europeanization; first by differentiating between the member states and the candidate countries; second by analyzing the Europeanization of Turkish foreign policy through an investigation of the changes in Turkish foreign policy since 1999 with regards to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), NATO‐EU cooperation and Turkey’s Middle Eastern neighbors.

The Impact of EU-Driven Reforms on the Political Autonomy of the Turkish Military

Turkish civil–military relations entered a new phase starting with the first European-Union-induced reforms in 1999, and have gained a new momentum since 2007. This article first introduces the amendments to Turkish civil–military relations, then asks how much the constitutional and legal amendments have affected the political autonomy of the military. The article takes the indicators of military autonomy into consideration as a whole and argues that legal amendments have not introduced any changes to one-third of the military prerogatives. In those areas where some adjustments have been made, either more reforms must follow or democratic practices must endure the test of time.

The changing role of the military in Turkish politics: democratization through coup plots?

The exposure of alleged coup plots in 2007 has shaken the guardian role of the Turkish military in politics. What were the conditions that led to the exposure of the coups and what is their significance for the future of Turkish democracy? Drawing on insights from southern Europe, the article argues that failed coup plots can lead to democratic civil–military relations especially if they work simultaneously with other facilitating conditions, such as increasing acceptance of democratic attitudes among officers, consensus among civilians over the role of the military, and the influence of external actors, such as the European Union. The article focuses on such domestic and international factors to analyse the transformation of the Turkish military, the splits within the armed forces and the resulting plots. It argues that one positive outcome of the exposed conspiracies in Turkey has been the enactment of new institutional amendments that would eradicate the remaining powers of the military. Yet, a negative outcome of the coup investigations has been an increase in polarization and hostility. Turkish democracy still lacks mutual trust among significant political groups, which creates unfavourable conditions for democratic consolidation.

The Final Curtain for the Turkish Armed Forces? Civil–Military Relations in View of the 2011 General Elections

After providing a brief overview of civil–military relations in Turkey prior to the June 12, 2011, general elections, this article focuses on the way in which the ruling Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP), the opposition Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP), and the Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi treated this issue in their election campaigns. It argues that the AKP had a dual discourse on civil–military relations and the CHP occasionally showed signs of defending the role of the military in Turkish politics. However, both the victorious AKP and the main opposition CHP adopted policies that accentuated the reduction of the militarys role in politics. An analysis of the election campaigns and results suggests that until the next elections, civilian control over the military will further increase.

The Role of the EU in Changing the Role of the Military in Turkish Politics

Bibliography: Turan, Ilter/Gursoy, Yaprak: The Role of the EU in Changing the Role of the Military in Turkish Politics, ERIS, 1-2014, pp. 132-140. https://doi.org/10.3224/eris.v1i1.19615