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

Abstract

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 Kalkinma Partisi (AKP), the opposition Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP), and the Milliyetci 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 military's 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.