State, Institutions and Reform in Turkey after July 15

Executive Summary

The failed July 15 coup attempt shook the existing state structure in Turkey. This upheaval created a public demand for public administration reform that would leave behind previous administrative decisions and policy failures. This demand provides a suitable environment and legitimacy for reformist leaders in Turkey. Politicians with reform on their agenda have more room for maneuver than ever before. The ruling party has formulated a constitutional solution that transcends the separation of powers, firstly ensuring majoritarian control over all branches of government, and secondly, reshaping the bureaucracy to eliminate bureaucratic resistance. The developments following July 15 dealt a major blow to the military and the civilian bureaucracy. However, the bureaucracy felt vindicated by the claim that the choices of civilian politics brought the state to the brink of collapse, and by starting the process of strengthening the state from the bureaucratic organization. The most important problems for the Turkish state are a lack of structural capacity and a lack of institutionalization. The coup attempt and the subsequent purges brought the state to a breaking point. The state crisis has occurred in the midst of a process of political change; in this context, the ruling party proposes a transition from a parliamentary to a presidential system as a solution to counterbalance the resistance of “bureaucratic tutelage” to the parliamentary majority’s right to govern. Constitutional amendments aim to increase political control over the administrative order and bureaucratic cadres. In light of these shortcomings and challenges, this article will focus on the possibilities, methods, and tools for capacity building and institutionalization necessary to overcome the state crisis in Turkey. The reform and restructuring process requires cooperation and a certain degree of consensus between the government, the opposition, and the bureaucracy. Polarization and disenfranchisement will cause significant division in Turkish politics. The struggle to eliminate the bureaucracy will either destroy state authority or, if the bureaucracy can maneuver to its advantage, create political instability. Therefore, the current state crisis in Turkey, exacerbated by escalating security and identity crises, presents a compelling element in Turkish politics: a choice between majoritarian decision-making tendencies and the ultimate goal of political transition. A collaborative model based on harmony between the government, opposition, and bureaucracy will facilitate normalization.

Introduction

The failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016, revealed the state crisis that has been the driving force behind Turkey's modernization efforts dating back to the early 19th century. The modernization of the Turkish state, above all, aims at the "survival of the state" through the modernization of the army and the maintenance of a balance of diplomatic power. The resulting Weberian roadmap strengthened the military and foreign affairs bureaucracy, making these two structures the leading elements of the modernization project. Because the project failed to establish an organic link with society, it could not prevent the disintegration of the ethnically diverse Ottoman Empire and shaped the top-down nation-building process of the Republic.