Lecture
After the March 19 Crackdown: Is Turkey an Autocracy?
- Date
- Monday 12 May 2025
- Time
- Address
-
Wijnhaven
Turfmarkt 99
2511 DP The Hague - Room
- 3.18 - Registration required
Turkish politics was shaken by the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, along with dozens of municipal officials and senior figures from the main opposition party, in the wake of a sweeping judicial operation last month. Having first come to power in late 2002, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has systematically undermined democratic institutions and consolidated control over the judiciary, media, and bureaucracy to tilt the playing field against the opposition. In 2017, President Erdoğan pushed through constitutional changes that transitioned the country to a hyper-presidential system, vastly expanding his executive powers and eliminating institutional checks and balances. Despite this ongoing autocratization, the opposition remained electorally competitive, expanded its support base, and mounted serious challenges to the AKP’s rule—most notably by winning major cities like Istanbul and Ankara in recent 2024 local elections. The arrest of İmamoğlu—the main opposition’s likely presidential candidate—marks a decisive move toward hegemonic authoritarianism as seen in Venezuela, Belarus, and Russia, where elections no longer offer a chance for change. The crackdown has sparked widespread public protests and renewed resistance from the main opposition party. This talk will explore what the March 19 crackdown means for Turkey’s political future—and whether democratic change is still possible.
About the speaker
Berk Esen is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Sabancı University, Turkey. He received his Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University in 2015. His research interests include the political economy of development, party politics, and authoritarian regimes with a focus on Latin America and the Middle East. His research has appeared in political science journals such as Party Politics, Journal of Democracy, Third World Quarterly, Law & Policy, Government and Opposition, Armed Forces & Society, PS: Political Science & Politics, Southeast European Society and Politics, Journal of Near East and Balkan Studies, Mediterranean Politics, Middle East Journal, Turkish Studies and Southeast European and Black Sea Studies. Dr. Esen is co-author and co-editor of several books on modern Turkish politics. He received the Sakıp Sabancı International Research Award for his work on democratic backsliding in Turkey and Hungary and the Turkish Science Academy Young Scientist Award (BAGEP).
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This event is organized by Turkish Studies Track, Leiden Institute for Area Studies, Faculty of Humanities, and Institute of Public Administration, Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs, in collaboration with Turkey Studies Network in the Low Countries.