Democratization and the Politics of Constitution-Making
in Turkey
Ergun Özbudun and Ömer
F. Genckaya (Bilkent University, Ankara)
Explores and illustrates how domestic and international
factors shape the direction of democratization process
with special reference to constitution making process
in Turkey. Describes how all five Turkish constitutions
were, by and large, the products of indigenous effort,
although borrowing could be felt in certain limited
areas. Argues that the constitutional reforms in the
post-1983 period were the outco me of broad inter-party
negotiations and agree ments as a response to the society’s
demands for a more democratic and liberal political
system. Finally, the constitutional revisions adopted
since 1995 were strongly conditioned by Turkey’s
hope of accession to the European Union. With these
reforms, Turkey was successful in meeting the political
criteria and started accession negotiations with the
EU.
The authors also analyze the latest rounds of debate
on the draft for an entirely new constitution prepared
by the present governing moderate religious party, which
is committed to joining the European Union.
Contents
Introduction Chapter
1 The History of Constitution-Making in Turkey
Chapter 2 Initial Changes, 1987–1995
Chapter 3 Constitutional A mend ments
under EU Conditionality 1998–2006 Chapter
4 Harmonization Packages and Other Legislative
Reforms Chapter 5 EU Conditionality
and Democratization Process in Turkey Chapter
6 The Constitutional Crisis of 2007–2008
and the Search for a New Constitution Conclusion
Appendix A Appendix B
"A significant analysis of the origin, policies,
and impacts of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Özbudun and Hale's arguments about secularism and
the military are the most remarkable of several important
points they develop.
The authors successfully explore the dynamics of constitution
writing and amending in Turkish political history. Özbudun
and Genckaya ephasize the need for further substantial
amendments, if not an entirely new Constitution, as
part of Turkey's democractization process." - Political
Science Quarterly
2009
156 pages
ISBN 978-963-9776-30-2 cloth $40.00 / € 34.95 /
£30.00
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