Ankara Pushes "Terror-Free Turkey" Amidst Democratic Concerns

The Turkish government is actively promoting its "Terror-Free Turkey" initiative, with officials suggesting that the disarmament of the PKK will pave the way for enhanced democratic standards. Yet, an analysis in the Yetkin Report raises concerns about ongoing domestic repression. Author Murat Yetkin examines the disconnect between the government's democratic rhetoric aimed at international audiences and the restrictive realities within Turkey.

On May 14th, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that achieving a "Terror-Free Turkey" would remove "obstacles hindering democracy." Simultaneously, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek was in London, telling foreign investors that a political solution to the Kurdish issue via PKK disarmament would positively impact "Turkey's democratic journey and improve our country's perception."

However, Yetkin questions whether the Kurdish issue and the PKK conflict are the sole, or even primary, barriers to robust democracy in Turkey. He argues that while the government aims to project an image of a peace-seeking nation to improve "perception" for market purposes, democratic quality has declined independently of this specific conflict.

The YetkinReport article cites several examples of democratic backsliding, such as the police crackdown on Boğaziçi University students, the continued imprisonment of figures like Osman Kavala and Can Atalay despite court rulings, and the politically charged arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Yetkin highlights that these issues, along with the non-implementation of Constitutional Court and ECHR decisions, are not directly linked to the PKK. He notes that genuine democracy requires freedom of political competition, judicial independence, and a free press – areas where Turkey has seen significant regression.

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