By Mehmet Yaşar Altundağ and Abdullah Esin Amid the turmoil in Turkish politics triggered by viral videos on social media that show how Afghan-Pakistani immigrants easily pass the Turkish borders, President Erdogan gave a very clear speech on May 9th 2022: “We will protect these brothers who have fled war to the end... They may... Continue Reading →
Berk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu on the Disappointing Elections in Turkey… or How Democratic (or Autocratic) is Turkey Really?
Berk Esen is an assistant professor of political science at Sabancı University. Sebnem Gumuscu is an associate professor of political science at Middlebury College. Their recent paper in the Journal of Democracy is “How Erdoğan’s Populism Won Again.” Support Democracy Paradox on Podurama. Listen here. Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation... Continue Reading →
Erdoğan is Losing but the Turkish Opposition is Far from an Assured Victory
By Kemal Kirişci and Berk Esen There is less than a month to go until what will be by far be the most consequential presidential and parliamentary elections of recent decades. The results will determine whether Turkey will have an opportunity to return to the ranks of democratic countries or slide further into an autocratic... Continue Reading →
3 Upcoming Elections to Watch in 2023
By Justin Kempf Elections in 2023 Saturday's election in Nigeria was among the most anticipated elections of the year. Every presidential election in Nigeria is significant, because it's the most populous country in Africa and the sixth most populous in the world. Moreover, it's population is increasing rapidly with projections to overtake the United States... Continue Reading →
Is Turkey Ready for the Post-Erdoğan Era?
By Serhun Al Roadblocks to a Democratic Transition Almost a century ago, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey, abolished the Ottoman caliphate and monarchy declaring a secular Republic with a European outlook. A century later, President Erdoğan has established a sultanistic regime over his twenty-year rule where many of his supporters embrace... Continue Reading →
