By the Editors (vol. 1, no. 2 of the Turkey Analyst) 

Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) dominates the country’s political landscape, but few Western analysts have looked closer at the evolution of its leadership structures. A closer analysis nevertheless shows that it has changed significantly, from a collegial leadership team to ever-growing power being transferred to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s personality. At present, Erdogan appears to rule the party in a rather authoritarian fashion, discouraging advice outside the inner circle and the exchange of opinions.

By the Editors (vol. 1, no. 1 of the Turkey Analyst)

The Turkish Parliament’s landmark decision to change the constitution and lift the ban on Islamic headscarves in the universities represents a symbolic watershed in the history of the Turkish republic. It has polarized Turkey as perhaps never before and plunged the country into a crisis from which it will be extremely difficult to extricate without deep convulsions. Turkish intellectuals do not hesitate to issue warnings about civil war. Such warnings may be exaggerated; but Turkey could certainly be headed in a dangerous direction. Hence, conventional assumptions about Turkish political and ideological dynamics need to be revised.

By the Editors (vol. 1, no. 1 of the Turkey Analyst)

Turkey went through an eventful year in 2007. While the agenda was dominated by growing domestic tensions over the country’s secular system, trigerred by the presidential election, it also saw tension in relations with the U.S. over northern Iraq. While the latter issue was, for the time being, constructively addressed, Turkey’s internal stuation only grew more complicated. That, in combination with European disinterest, also contributed to slowing down Turkey’s EU accession process.