CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VIII (1) ContemporaryEurasia81 | Page 20

DIMINISHING INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY OF TURKISH ARMED FORCES …
LEVON HOVSEPYAN
DIMINISHING INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY OF TURKISH
ARMED FORCES:
IS POLITICIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF ITS
INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY ON THE WAY?
Abstract: This article analyzes the interconnectedness of the
transformation of the institutional autonomy and identity of the Turkish
Armed Forces (TAF), asserting that by losing its institutional autonomy
within the state system, the TAF now faces difficulties to sustain their
institutional identity, based on secularism and Kemalist ideology. The
transformation of civil-military relations and socio-political processes
after the July 15 failed coup pave the way for the politicization of the
TAF. The politicization of the armed forces, will have an important
impact on both the internal and foreign political processes of that
country, simultaneously contributing to its institutional identity and
value-oriented transformation. The ruling AKP party and President
Erdoğan’s authoritarian regime, not only attempt to induce their
political dominance and control over the TAF, but also strive to reshape
its identity in accordance with their own ideological and cultural
assumptions. The maintenance of the TAF’s identity and secularism
now becomes more challenging.
Keywords: Turkish Armed Forces, General Staff, AKP, institutional
autonomy, institutional identity, civil-military, coup d’état
Introduction
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) are in the process of large-scale
modernization and transformation, which involves both armament and
military-technical renovation, as well as structural, institutional and
legislative changes. During the rule of the Justice and Development Party
(hereinafter referred to as the AKP), the modernization and armament
programs of the TAF were put on new bases and scales. 1 Simultaneously,
the introduction and strengthening of civilian control over the army have
been replaced by a new dimension in the civil-military relationship in
1
For more details on the modernization of the TAF, see Levon Hovsepyan, “Turkiayi
pashtpanakan hamakargi ardiakanatsumy ev anvtangtyan volorti barepokhumnery”,
(Yerevan: EPH hratarakchutyun 2014, in Armenian), “Modernization of Turkish Defense
System and Security Sector Reforms”, (Yerevan: YSU Publishing, 2014).
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