Samim Akgönül, Ph.D. (2001), is a historian and political scientist, a Professor at the Institute of International Relations, and the Head of the Department of Turkish Studies, at Strasbourg University. He is the executive editor of the Journal of Muslims in Europe.
What do you expect to happen in the elections? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Why or why not?
I expect, unlike many others who are pessimistic, an “alternance politique” (political alternation), i.e. a regime change from a vertical governance to a more horizontal one. It is may be a wishful thinking at worst, or a self-fulfilling prophecy at best, but in the past there are several examples where the electors of Turkey acted against the “natural” ruler. In 1950 against one of the founders of the Republic, in 1983 against the miliary junta-oriented party, etc. This time also, I think maturity will be reached and there will be a handover of power. But signals from voting processes abroad show that it won’t be soft. Unfortunately, we can expect some violence.
It is the Turkish Republic’s 100th anniversary. How has Turkey tumbled into this massive crisis at every level?
The crisis is not at every level. It is mainly at a moral level where the rulers-from top to bottom-cannot distinguish anymore between the good and the bad. This moral crisis is the catalyst of other structural problems, such as the economy, earthquake consequences, oppression, pressure on minorities, etc. Once this moral crisis is cured and conscientious people ill come to govern the state, city, institutions, and companies, other crises will be managed. But that does not mean that they will disappear; they will be managed like in any other state.
What do you see as the solution for a stable and peaceful Turkey, given the culture, demographic changes, and global instability? Any suggestions?
There is no a magic wand of course, but some formulas that that have been tried and tested elsewhere such as decentralization, semi-direct democracy, hybrid representation, sacralization of civil society instead of the state apparatus, free media, etc. Other formula can be added more specific to the era such as energy reconversion, local economy, a policy of degrowth, a transition from consumerist society to a pleasure society, more secularization but less individualization, etc.
