CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VII (1, 2) Contemporary-Eurasia-3new | Page 60

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA
air force and ground forces. The bigger part of the military which did not
participate in the coup stayed loyal to the government and intervened on
behalf of the latter. An unprecedented number of people took to the street
to show their support for the government. Regardless of the coup plotters
were supporters of Gulen or not, the military did not act as a unitary enti-
ty. The purges that followed the failed coup were also similar to those of
previous ones. In its extent it was in particular similar to the aftermath of
the 1980 coup. However, this time roles had been reversed. The govern-
ment was the one arranging a purge in the military. The arrests in regards
to the coup attempt of 2016 continue to this day.
The paper proved that as a result of EU reforms and fragmentation in
the Turkish military the political power of the armed forces was signifi -
cantly weakened. This fact played a major role in the unsuccessful fi nish
of the coup plot. Future research should also consider the role of leader-
ship in Turkey and how Erdogan’s role as a leader impacted the outcome
of the coup. The emergence of a pro-Islamic supporter base for Erdogan
should also be considered. Another major factor which should be paid at-
tention upon for further research is whether Turkish ideology towards the
military and national identity has undergone changes.
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