Eurasia And Eme Subcommittee on Europe

Turkey's Democracy Under Challenge Eurasia And Eme Subcommittee on Europe

The referendum to rewrite the Turkish Constitution cemented into law much of the power President Erdogan had already seized for himself. The new Constitution converted Turkey into a Presidential system, combining the head of state, head of government, and head of the ruling party all into a single powerful office. An advisory body of constitutional experts concluded that the amendments to the Turkish constitution "represent a dangerous step backwards," and that the changes put Turkey on a path towards, "an authoritarian" regime. The referendum was the latest in a long list of repressive actions taken by the Turkish Government under Erdogan: closing the space for civil society, silencing the media, sidelining the judiciary, and neutering the military. President Erdogan's desire to maintain power at any cost is not good for the people of Turkey. The July 2016 coup attempt was traumatic and unsettling, but Erdogan started down the path toward authoritarianism long before the coup attempt. Erdogan has split Turkey's relationship with Europe and the United States, and has opened up Turkey to a greater risk of attack by radical violent Islamists.