CONSOLIDATING THE TRUST IN GOVERNMENT: Public Sector Modernisation and its Effects to Increase Trust in Turkish Government

Presentation by Dr. Önder KUTLU to the SG2 of EGPA Lisbon Conference(University of Selcuk – Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences)

CONSOLIDATING THE TRUST IN GOVERNMENT: Public Sector Modernization and its Effects to Increase Trust in Turkish Government

I- IntroductionII- The Turkish GovernmentIII- The Trust in Turkish GovernmentIV- Modernisation in Government V- The Recent Attempts for the EU VI- Conclusion

II- The Turkish Government

A- The Agenda for the Reform

B- Ideological Background

C- The Relations Between Politicians/ Bureaucrats and Citizens

III- The Trust in Turkish Government

Table 1: The Influence of the InstitutionsTable 2: The Correct Level of InfluenceTable 3a: The Most Influential InstutionsTable 3b: Who Should be Influential

Table1: The Influence of the Institutions (%)

Strong Medium No influence

Military 55.4 35.1 9.5

Media 31.6 33.4 35

Government 33 38.3 28.7

Supreme Court

20.1 38.4 41.5

Business sector

28.2 55.5 16.3

Parliament 22.9 41.8 35.3 (Source: Kutlu, Ö. et. al. 2002; Political Attitude Survey in Konya, Unpublished Survey)

Table 2: The Correct Level of Influence (%)

Strong Medium No influence

Parliament 75.3 15.6 9.1

Government 63.8 24.6 11.6

Political parties 56.1 14.7 29.2

Civil institutions 33.9 32.8 33.3

Universities 7.4 44.9 43.7

Military 3.1 7.8 89.1

(Source: Kutlu, Ö. et. al. 2002; Political Attitude Survey in Konya, Unpublished Survey)

Table 3a: The Most Influential Institutions %

Government 20.7

Military 19.6

Media 17.6

President 12.8

Parliament 11.4

Business sector 7.9

Others 10 (Source: Kutlu, Ö. et. al. 2002; Political Attitude Survey in Konya, Unpublished Survey)

Table 3b: Who Should be Influential

%

Government 29

Parliament 28.4

President 17.4

Civil society 16.1

Military 4.1

Business sector 3.9

Others 1.3 (Source: Kutlu, Ö. et. al. 2002; Political Attitude Survey in Konya, Unpublished Survey)

IV- Modernisation in Government

A- The Public-Net ProjectB- The Norm-post ReformC-Evaluation of the Reforms

V- The Recent Attempts for the EU

Table 4: Perceptions of the Public (%)

Autumn 2002

Summer 2003

Trust in government

46 73

Positive expectations form the life

54 65

(Source: Cited (from Eurobarometer) in http://www.radikal.com.tr (23-07-2003))

VI- Conclusions:

Trust in government is vital for Turkish government;Trust depends on psychological modernisation more than physical one;Recently, trust in Turkish government has increased not because of the modernisation of public administration but because of certain other initiatives such as democratisation of government and the EU reforms.