Political change in Turkey

After three consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has now won presidential election with 52 percent of the vote, averting the need for a second round. The Justice and Freedom Party (AKP) under him has also continued to maintain popular support winning, after 12 years of rule, sweeping municipal elections last March despite major protests in Istanbul over Gezi Park project, and graft investigations against his close aides and family members. The country's secularist opposition is wary of his religious leanings and aggressive style of governance, yet it has failed to dent his popularity. Were it not for a constitutional bar he would have easily won a fourth prime ministerial term.
Erdogan's is a success well earned. Under his government Turkey has made significant politico-economic advancement. After a long period of economic difficulties it is now mainly a middle class country with an average 5 percent growth rate. Social services, particularly in health and education sectors, have improved significantly. Several infrastructure projects, including an underground railway tunnel under the Bosporus, have made life easy for the people. Equally important, his government has made substantive headway in achieving reconciliation with the country's alienated Kurdish population. One of the two challengers in the presidential elections was a Kurdish politician who received 9 percent of the vote. It is to his credit also that Turkey's long-stalled negotiations for EU membership began under his government. A special feather in Prime Minister Erdogan's cap is establishing of civilian control over the military. That is a good example for countries like Pakistan facing similar challenges. It offers a clear lesson that socio-economic stability is an assured way of attaining civilian primacy.
Until now the presidency in Turkey has been a ceremonial office. Erdogan has now set his mind to changing the political structure along the French model and assume executive power by altering the constitution. To make the necessary constitutional changes the AKP needs to win sufficient majority in next year's parliamentary elections. As it is, long years of rule tend to cause fatigue. Discord is surfacing in his own party. Erdogan himself voiced concern on Tuesday about a possible split warning his supporters of those, he said, are rubbing their hands for the last 13 years hoping that cracks will emerge in the AKP, telling them not to "make happy those who are waiting for the party to wobble." He would be wise to put the interest of AKP, he founded, above personal ambitions. When he steps down as prime minister to take over as president later this month others need to get a chance to introduce new ideas to take the country forward on the road to progress and prosperity.