Together the trio occupies almost two-thirds of the parliamentary seats. The Islamist challenge has been largely dissipated. Since then, the party has been harassed in the courts and faces a serious split between hardliners and a more moderate wing, which almost seized control at the last convention. Nowadays, the big problem is more a generalized frustration and disdain for politics. The unresponsiveness of government and the parties has turned people away from political action.
Turkey is a democracy, but the current question is how it can be a better democracy.
The high hopes held for nongovernment organizations after their relatively good performance in helping victims of the 1999 earthquake has faded. This is partly due to the groups' own shortcomings, including an inability to work together. The reform-minded president and former supreme court judge Ahmet Sezer, is generally admired for his modesty, support for democracy, and encouragement of reforms. Of course, such efforts do not always work out so well. There is a mixed attitude toward the behavior of the European Union, where Turkey is seeking membership.