The Role of the Military in the Turkish Democracy: Are the Military the Guardians of or a Threat to the Turkish Democracy?

Abstract

The military have played an influential role in Ottoman/Turkish society since the 13th century – the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey also had a military background. Forming the elite and entrenched in the spirit of Kemalist heritage, they have considered themselves the guardians of secularism and democracy in Turkey since the inception of the Republic. Nevertheless, a particularly ardent pursuit of the defence of these principles very often lead them to relatively direct forms of intervention in political and civil issues with the apparent support of Turks, among whom the military forces are very popular. In regards to the implications for the European Union, however, this situation is not conducive to the consolidation of Turkish democracy and, consequently, for the process of accession. In fact, it creates an outcome, which is diametrically opposed to it, eroding the quality of democracy and perverting this group’s ideology. Bearing in mind the role of the military in the last decades, this paper attempts to analyse this paradox and to understand the evolution of their behaviour, as well as the position of the EU. The intention is also to establish how much an unstable and unpredictable military elite may harm Turkish democracy and its path towards the Union – even though that might not be their intention.