Turkey

Founded in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk (meaning ‘Father of the Turks’), Turkey was once the center of power for the Ottoman Empire. Consequently, the country did not suffer from the impact of colonialism like many other Middle Eastern states. The rule of Ataturk was authoritarian, but he was eager to push forward wide-ranging social, economic and political reforms. Most importantly, Turkey was set to become a secular state, adopting the Latin script and for a period forbidding traditional Muslim clothes as well as religious schooling. This all happened in a country where about 99% of the population was Muslim.

The secular foundations of Turkey have been kept alive, much thanks to the role of the military. In 1950, Turkey enabled the first peaceful and democratic transition of power and has ever since held multi-party elections. However, the military has intervened at four different occasions, ousting governments because they threaten Kemalism and secularism. Today, Turkey is ruled by Prime Minister Erdogan, a man often criticized for his Islamist orientation.

Turkey has experienced difficult times, both economically and politically. The Kurdish issue is perhaps the most infected one, and the Kurdish minority seeking autonomy has experienced widespread oppression for decades. While the economy has grown significantly in the past years, expanding by 7% in 2010 (when recession hit many other states), Turkey faced a severe financial crisis in 2001 and was forced to seek assistance from the IMF.

Turkey’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia has made it a key player in the region. Since 1964, it has been an associate member of the European Community and in 2005 took important steps towards full membership in the EU. However, fractions within the Union as to whether Turkey should join as well as continuing reports of human rights abuse has put the accession at a hold.