A Secular Surge

Outside the Turkish Prime Minister’s residence in Istanbul this morning.

What is now at stake in Turkey are two diametrically different views of what kind of society Turks want to live in. The widespread anti-government unrest is a direct manifestation of tensions within Turkish society over what are perceived as [Turkish Prime Minister] Erdogan’s efforts to Islamize the Turkish population by rolling back the secular system established by Kemal Ataturk after coming to power in 1923.

And despite Attatuk’s legacy, much of the population remains highly devout, especially in the countryside. They have been the bedrock of support for Erdogan, electing his party three times in a row, the last time with a solid majority, reducing the need for the prime minister to adopt policies that would appeal to other parties, especially the secular-minded Republican People’s Party.

Free to pursue his own desired policies, the acerbic and autocratic prime minister has operated as if the views of others were of little consequence, only an occasional irritant.

But what has increasingly infuriated Turkish secularists and other liberal-minded Turks have been Erdogan’s attempts to undermine the secular system, employing measures introducing greater emphasis on the Muslim religion within society, including the previously off-limits educational system. And Erdogan’s measures to place restrictions on the sale and availability of alcohol have angered many Turks in a country where the national drink, raki, is very popular, even among Erdogan supporters.

More troubling, Erdogan’s actions to muzzle a free press and the media, including imprisoning journalists under dubious security laws, have generated suspicion and animosity.

And even Erdogan’s supporters, including devout Muslims and like-minded conservatives, complain about his lack of consultation regarding the safeguarding of heritage sites in Istanbul.

Whole neighbourhoods have been evicted in order to build new upscale highrises and other structures. One of Istanbul’s major heritage experts bemoaned the fact he no longer recognizes the city he grew up in.