Revisiting the Turkish Military and European Union Reforms: 1999-2005

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 6 - 15, 18.01.2018

Mehmet Bardakçı

Abstract

The military’s omnipotent role in Turkish political
life following the establishment of the Turkish Republic developed into one of
the most significant characteristics of the Turkish political landscape. The
armed forces gained significant privileges and strengthened their autonomy within
the multi-party era, which saw three coups. However, the EU’s 1999 Helsinki
Summit brought about a paradigmatic change in the status of the military,
shifting the balance of power in favor of civilians. This piece throws light on
the developments that contributed to changing the role of the military in
Turkish politics, and details the many factors that contributed to its more receptive
approach to the EU democratization reforms. These include the momentum gained
in Turkey’s EU accession bid after its declaration as a candidate country in
1999, the AKP government’s reformist and conciliatory stance, Chief of Staff
General Hilmi Özkök’s adoption of a more liberal version of Kemalism, the maintenance
of the guardianship role of the military in the political system, and the
emergence of a political environment that was conducive to democratization. 

Keywords

the AKP, the military, EU democratization reform

TSK ve AB Reformlarını Yeniden Gözden Geçirmek: 1999-2005

Abstract

Türk siyasi hayatında ordunun kuvvetli rolü Türkiye Cumhuriyeti’nin kurulmasından beri Türk
siyasal sisteminin önemli özelliklerinden birisidir. Silahlı Kuvvetler üç darbeye şahit olan çok
partili dönemde Türk siyasi sisteminde önemli ayrıcalıklar elde etmiş ve otonomisini genişletmiş-
tir. Bununla birlikte AB’nin 1999 Helsinki Zirvesi ordunun statüsünde paradigmatik bir değişiklik
meydana getirerek güç dengesini siviller lehine değiştirmiştir. Bu makale Türk siyasetinde ordu-
nun değişen rolüne katkı yapan gelişmelerin üzerinde durmaktadır. Bir dizi faktörün ordunun AB
demokratikleşme reformlarına karşı izin veren bir tutum izlemesinde rolü olduğunu ileri sürmekte-
dir. Bunlar Türkiye’nin AB aday ülke ilan edilmesinden sonra Türkiye’nin AB üyelik perspekti nin
hız kazanması, AKP hükümetinin reformist ve uzlaşmacı tutumu, Genelkurmay Başkanı General
Hilmi Özkök’ün Kemalizm’in liberal bir şeklini benimsemesi, siyasi sistemde ordunun vesayet ro-
lünün korunması ve demokratikleşmeye uygun bir siyasi sistemin bulunmasıdır. 

Keywords

AKP, ordu, AB demokratikleşme reformları

References

• Berkan, İ. (1999). “Kıvrıkoğlu Herşeyi Anlattı” (Kıvrıkoğlu told everything). Radikal. [09.10.2004].
• Dekmejian, R. H. (1982). Egypt and Turkey: The Military in the Background, in R. Kolkowitcz and A. Korbonski (eds.). Soldiers, Peasants, and Bureaucrats: Civil-Military Relations in Modernizing Societies. Boston and Sydney: George Allen and Unwin. pp. 28-51.
• European Commission. (1998). Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession.
• European Commission. (1999). Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession.
• European Commission. (2000). Regular Report from the Commission on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession, Brussels, November 8, 2000.
• European Commission. (2001). Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession. Brussels. 13.11.2001. SEC(2001) 1756.
• European Commission. (2002). Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession. Brussels. 9.10.2002. SEC(2002) 1412.
• European Commission. (2003). Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession.
• European Commission. (2004). Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession. Brussels, COM (2004) 656 final.
• European Commission. (2005). Progress Report, (Com (2005) 561 final), Brussels, 9.11.2005, SEC (2005) 1426.
• Heper, M. (1985). The State Tradition in Turkey. Walkington: The Eothen Press.
• Heper, M. (2005). “The Justice and Development Party Government and the Military in Turkey”. Turkish Studies. Vol. 6, No. 2. Hürriyet. (2004a). “Özkök: Sık sık gündeme gelmek istemiyoruz” (We do not want to come to the agenda often). Hürriyet. [09.10.2004].
• Hürriyet. (2004b). “Lozan’dan geri adım atmayız” (We do not step back from Lausanne). Hürriyet. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/lozandan-geri-adim-atmayiz-270005. [09.10.2004].
• Jenkins, G. (2001). Context and Circumstance: The Turkish Military and Politics. Adelphi Paper 337. London: IISS.
• Milliyet. (2000). “MGK genişleyebilir” (the MGK could enlarge). Milliyet. http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2000/07/25/siyaset/siy00.html. [09.10.2004].
• National Report. (2004). Turkey, Eurobarometer 62.
• Özel, S. (2004). “Turkey’s Top General Encourages Acceptance of Reforms”. Eurasia Insight. [10.10.2004].
• Radikal. (2000). “Kürtçe TV’ye fren” (Brake to Kurdish TV). Radikal. [08.10.2004].
• Radikal. (2002). “Orgeneral Kılınç: AB bize uymaz” (General Kılınç: the EU does not suit us). Radikal. http://www.radikal.com.tr/politika/orgeneral-kilinc-avrupa-bize-uymaz-626214/. [08.10.2004].
• Şafak, E. (2004). “Yılın Eylemi” (The Action of the Year). Sabah. http://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2004/08/10/////yaz08-50-125-20040805.html. [07.10.2004].
• TSK. (2003). “Genelkurmay II. Baskani Yaşar Büyükanıt’ın Konuşması” (Speech of the Second Head of the Turkish General Staff Yaşar Büyükanıt). http://www.tsk.mil.tr. [06.04.2004].