Is Turkey Becoming Less Democratic?

Over the last several months, Washington has voiced growing concerns that Turkey, under the leadership of its AKP government, may be turning away from the West.  The country's foreign policy moves in 2010 - partnering with Brazil to co-sponsor an alternate nuclear deal with Iran and threatening to cut ties with Israel after the Gaza flotilla raid - have prompted heated discussions about its regional alignments.  At the same time, domestic developments, including the ongoing "Ergenekon" trial of retired military officers and the recent lawsuit against the Dogan media group, have raised questions about the country's political trajectory.  The government's proposed constitutional amendments, to be voted on next week, have only added fuel to the fire of this debate.  Critics have gone so far as to claim that after years of positive democratic development, Turkey's current leadership is now making the country less democratic. 

The purpose of this event is to focus on Turkey's political development.  Do the government's domestic moves represent efforts to further entrench rule of law or a new quest to undermine it?  What is the state of civil and political liberties in the country today?  And how would the proposed constitutional amendments impact Turkey's political development? 

Gönül Tol, Executive Director, Center for Turkish Studies, Middle East Institute

Daniel Brumberg, Director, Muslim World Initiative, U.S. Institute of Peace
 

W. Robert Pearson, former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; President, International Research & Exchanges Board