How Will the Turkish Military React

Article or Op-Ed

Summary

The Turkish military began to Westernise in the late 18th century and became a strictly secular institution under Ataturk in the early 20th century. The military are Turkey's most Westernised institution and a bastion of secularism. What is more, they consistently rank as the most popular and widely respected institution in Turkey. Since the 1990s, the Turkish military have emerged as a force defending Turkey's secular democracy in the political realm. What explains the military's behaviour? Given the recent rumblings in Turkey over its presidential, and upcoming parliamentary elections -- the Justice and Development Party (AKP), with an Islamist pedigree and currently in government, is at the centre of the controversy -- a review of the Turkish military's commitment to secularism will help reveal how it might react in the near future to a number of important issues.