title: Autocratization of the state in Turkey
title: an analysis of decree-laws and presidential decrees between 2016-2023
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Salmanoğ, Özgür
Publisher: name: University of Muenster, Institutional Repository MIAMI
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: 300 Social sciences, Anthropology
subject: 320 Political science (Politics and government)

description: Das Ziel dieser Dissertation ist es, die Autokratisierung des Staates in der Türkei im Hinblick auf Machtverschiebungen und -konzentration unter der Herrschaft der Partei für Gerechtigkeit und Entwicklung (AKP) und Präsident Erdogan zu verstehen. Es wird argumentiert, dass der Putschversuch vom 15. Juli der Wendepunkt war, der die Autokratisierung beschleunigte und zu einem System- und Regimewechsel führte, und dass die zwischen 2016 und 2023 erlassenen Gesetzesdekrete und Präsidentendekrete die wichtigsten Instrumente waren, um dies zu erreichen. Daher werden diese offiziellen Dokumente im Hinblick auf Machtverschiebungen und -konzentration analysiert und die Autokratisierung des Staates aufgedeckt. Während Gesetzesdekrete Machtverschiebungen ermöglichen und Autokratisierung begünstigen, konzentrieren Präsidialdekrete die Exekutivgewalt in den Händen des Präsidenten. Darüber hinaus wird argumentiert, dass die Autokratisierung zu schwerwiegenden Problemen im Regierungsprozess führt, wodurch der Präsident scheinbar gestärkt wird, während er in Wirklichkeit in seiner Regierungsfähigkeit eingeschränkt und seine Macht unweigerlich geschwächt wird.
description: The aim of this dissertation is to understand the autocratization of the state in Turkey in terms of power shifts and concentration under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Erdogan. It is argued that the July 15 coup attempt was the turning point that accelerated the autocratization leading to system and regime change and that the decree-laws and presidential decrees issued between 2016 and 2023 were the main instruments used to achieve this. Therefore, these official documents will be analyzed in terms of power shifts and concentration and the autocratization of the state will be revealed. While decree-laws enable power shifts and facilitate autocratization, presidential decrees concentrate executive power in the hands of the President. Moreover, it will be argued that autocratization leads to serious problems in the governance process, thus ostensibly empowering the President while in fact limiting his ability to govern and inevitably weakening his power.
description: Table of Contents ..... i
Tables ..... vi
Abbreviations ..... vii
Abstract..... x
1. Chapter One: Introduction ..... 1
1.1. Research Question .....2
1.2. Autocracy .....5
1.3. Analyzing Decrees .....7
1.4. Objectives and Contributions ..... 9
1.5. Plan ..... 12
2. Chapter Two: Allies and Enemies ..... 15
2.1. Introduction ..... 15
2.2. Gülen Community-AKP Relationship ..... 17
2.2.1. Community’s Brief History and Structure ..... 17
2.2.2. First an Ally, Then a Sworn Enemy ..... 19
2.3. Kurdish Movement-AKP Relationship ..... 23
2.3.1. Brief History of the Movement ..... 23
2.3.2. A ‘New Era’ with the AKP ..... 27
2.4. Secular-Nationalist Elites and AKP ..... 36
2.4.1. The February 28th Process ..... 37
2.4.2. EU Harmonization Reforms to Curb the Power of Military Elites ..... 39
2.4.3. The Elite’s Last Struggles ..... 39
2.5. Inferences ..... 41
3. Chapter Three: From Parliamentary to Presidential System ..... 44
3.1. Introduction ..... 44
3.2. Forms of Government ..... 45
3.2.1. Parliamentary vs. Presidential System..... 46
3.3. Separation of Powers ..... 47
3.3.1. Separation of Powers in Turkey ..... 50
3.4. Weak Parliament ..... 51
3.4.1. Legislative Power ..... 51
3.4.2. Oversight Power ..... 52
3.5. Dependent Judiciary ..... 54
3.6. Strong President ..... 56
3.6.1. The Five Weaknesses of Presidential System ..... 58
3.6.2. Personalization of Power ..... 59
3.7. Inferences ..... 62
4. Chapter Four: Theoretical Approaches ..... 64
4.1. Introduction ..... 64
4.2. Populism ..... 65
4.2.1. Left-Wing Populism ..... 66
4.2.2. Right-Wing Populism ..... 68
4.2.2.1. Demand Side of Right-Wing Populism ..... 68
4.2.2.1.1. Cultural Discontent ..... 69
4.2.2.1.2. Physical Insecurity ..... 71
4.2.2.2. Supply Side of Right-Wing Populism ..... 74
4.2.2.2.1. Manichean Outlook ..... 74
4.2.2.2.2. Anti-Elitism and Anti-Pluralism ..... 77
4.3. Neo-patrimonialism..... 80
4.3.1. Patriarchy..... 82
4.3.2. Patronage ..... 85
4.3.3. The Problem of Legitimate Domination ..... 87
4.4. Competitive Authoritarianism ..... 89
4.4.1. Elections ..... 90
4.4.1.1. Three Election Incidents ..... 91
4.4.2. Distortion of the Political Playing Field ..... 93
4.4.2.1. Access to Resources ..... 93
4.4.2.2. Access to Media ..... 94
4.4.2.3. Access to Law..... 95
4.4.3. Violation of Civil Liberties ..... 96
4.5. Inferences ..... 97
5. Chapter Five: Methodology ..... 99
5.1. Introduction ..... 99
5.2. Method ..... 99
5.3. Data Collection ..... 101
5.3.1. Decree-Laws (Kanun Hükmünde Kararnameler) ..... 104
5.3.2. Presidential Decrees (Cumhurbaşkanlığı Kararnameleri) ..... 107
5.4. Data Analyzing ..... 110
5.5. Coding ..... 111
5.5.1. Natural Categorization ..... 112
5.5.2. Thematic Categorization ..... 113
5.6. Use of Theories ..... 115
5.7. Limitations ..... 116
5.8. Inferences ..... 117
6. Chapter Six: Analysis of the Decree-Laws ..... 118
6.1. Introduction ..... 118
6.2. State of Emergency and Sovereignty ..... 119
6.2.1. Military as a Part of Sovereignty: The Role of National Security Council ..... 122
6.2.2. The July 15 ..... 124
6.3. Populism Through the SEDLs ..... 127
6.3.1. The Implementation of Manichean Politics ..... 127
6.3.1.1. Concretization of the Enemy ..... 128
6.3.1.2. Rewarding the Friends ..... 130
6.3.1.3. The Third Category: Tolerable Group..... 131
6.3.2. Anti-Elitism through Structural Changes in Military ..... 133
6.3.2.1. Civilian Control over Military ..... 133
6.3.2.2. Balancing Military by Police ..... 136
6.4. Competitive Authoritarianism Through the SEDLs ..... 137
6.4.1. Even If They Win, They Will Lose! ..... 138
6.4.2. Distortion of Political Playing field ..... 141
6.4.2.1. Control over Media ..... 141
6.4.2.2. Control over Financial Resources ..... 142
6.4.2.3. The SEDL as a Law-Making Power ..... 145
6.5. Neo-patrimonialism Through the ODLs ..... 147
6.5.1. Law No. 7142 on Authorization ..... 148
6.5.2. Elimination of Bureaucratic Processes ..... 150
6.5.3. Loyalty to the President’s Personality ..... 151
6.5.3.1. Loyalty of Public Institutions ..... 151
6.5.3.2. Loyalty of Senior Bureaucrats ..... 152
6.6. Inferences ..... 154
7. Chapter Seven: Analysis of the Presidential Decrees ..... 156
7.1. Introduction ..... 156
7.2. Regime Change..... 157
7.2.1. Commissary Dictatorship vs. Sovereign Dictatorship ..... 157
7.2.2. Constituent Power in Turkey ..... 159
7.2.2.1. 1921 Constitution ..... 160
7.2.2.2. 1924 Constitution ..... 160
7.2.2.3. 1961 Constitution ..... 161
7.2.2.4. 1982 Constitution ..... 162
7.2.3. 2017 Constitutional Amendments ..... 164
7.3. Execution of the State ..... 167
7.3.1. Power over Policymaking ..... 168
7.3.2. Power over the Institutional Structuring..... 172
7.3.3. Power over the Civil Servants ..... 174
7.3.4. Power over Financial Matters ..... 177
7.3.5. Power over Supervision ..... 179
7.4. Disempowerment of the Other Actors ..... 181
7.4.1. Parliament ..... 181
7.4.2. Military ..... 184
7.4.3. Free Media ..... 186
7.5. Partial State of Emergency ..... 188
7.5.1. Presidential Emergency Decree (PED) ..... 189
7.5.2. The Scope of Issued PEDs ..... 189
7.6. Inferences ..... 191
8. Chapter Eight: Conclusion ..... 193
8.1. The Question of Power ..... 195
8.2. A Glimpse into the Future ..... 198
Bibliography ..... 202
Constitutions ..... 202
Laws ..... 202
Decree-Laws (KHK) ..... 204
Presidential Decrees (CBK) ..... 205
Parliamentary and Presidential Decisions ..... 207
Constitutional Court Decisions ..... 208
Other Pieces of Legislation ..... 208
Other References ..... 208