January 15, 2014 4:41 pm

Turkey must defend its democracy against the GulenistsBy Osman Can

The Gulenists pose a greater threat than the politico-military elites, writes Osman Can

©Getty

Turkey is in crisis because of actions taken by the country’s judiciary. It is acrisis that will determine the fate of democracy there. It also owes much to the past – rather than conduct politics in the open, many have sought control by infiltrating state institutions.

In December, a wave of arrests of prominent people following a secret investigation, together with leaks about the allegations, encouraged the impression that the crisis is about corruption. But the investigation is dishonest. The police officers and prosecutors who conducted it have ties to the Gulenists, a secretive religious movement based on absolute obedience, whose final goal no one knows. The leaks, to media that belong to the movement, amount to political defamation. The real target is the 11-year-old Justice and Development (AK) party government. There is no doubt that this is a power bid using judicial tools and a smear campaign.

The nature and history of the judiciary lend themselves to such a campaign. It is a hierarchical system influenced by the Turkish ethnocentrism of the 1930s and by coups d’état in 1960 and 1980. It is independent of parliament. By turns, the country’s Kurds, Alawites, non-Muslims and conservatives have all been terrorised in the name of justice. In 100 years, more than 100 parties have been closed down.

Indeed, even the AK party, supported by 50 per cent of the population, was barely able to save itself from closure as recently as 2008.

There have been efforts to democratise the judiciary in line with the democratisation of society as a whole. As part of constitutional changes approved by referendum in 2010, the constitutional court and the high council of judges and prosecutors (HYSK) were transformed with the support of the EU. The plan was to make them more pluralistic. But crucial changes were annulled by court order, paving the way for the Gulenists, who occupy central posts in state institutions, mainly thearmy and judiciary, to infiltrate them.

Before the 2010 referendum Fethullah Gulen, the movement’s leader, called for people to vote for the constitutional changes “even if it means taking the corpses of your loved ones from their graves”. At the time, the government saw the call as well-intentioned. But during elections among the judiciary to the HYSK, the Gulenists won support from pro-democracy groups by highlighting fears that anti-democratic forces would otherwise take control.

So the Gulenists, who have only 15 per cent support in the judiciary as a whole and only 2-3 per cent backing across society, took control of the supreme court of appeal and the state council and, hence, the whole judiciary. Since those bodies choose the presidency of the supreme election council, the Gulenists acquired powers able to influence the fate of upcoming elections – local, parliamentary and presidential. They have become an asymmetric power.

This anti-secular movement, based on conservative nationalism, has always had problems with democratic politics, since it aims to dominate the country by occupying the state from within. It differs with previous authoritarian elites in the values it endorses and symbols it uses – but not in its methods. When democrats were struggling with the country’s old military-dominated system, the movement gave its support to the AK party and won its trust. When military tutelage was brought to an end, they filled the vacuum. Unfortunately, the government failed to take the necessary prevention measures.

As a result, we face a new version of an old struggle: between powers trying to shape politics through an unconstitutional order and pro-democracy forces trying to change the system. Turkey was once dominated by politico-military elites; today, with the religion card in their

hands, the Gulenists pose a greater threat still. In democratic politics, it is decisions of parliament and the approval of voters that count. After a century of domination by undemocratic elites, Turkish society knows that and approves of the struggle with the Gulen movement.

The AK party must use this support well by reconciling with other democratic actors. Turkey’s need for a fully democratic constitutional system in line with pluralistic and participatory politics can be delayed no longer.

The writer is professor of constitutional law at Marmara University and a member of the Central Committee of the AK partyCopyright The Financial Times Limited 2014. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.

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1. Report EMWS | January 16 12:26pm | Permalink

The essence of Democracy is that it promotes competition between parties. That competition provides for transparency of the state apparatus, which is warranted by freedom of speech, individual rights, and independent institutions.AK has enjoyed almost 3 terms of unchallenged power and still could not provide sufficient checks and balances that make Turkey's democracy and institutions immune to such "infiltration". The reason for this may be that AK was itself busy with putting its own people in key positions. Now who's to blame? The infiltrators or the party in charge of running the country?At any rate, let's not mix method and target. A dirty war may be going on between Gulenist and AK, but that makes the charges of corruption no less scandalous.Democracy is certainly not being served well by tweaking the rules overnight, suppressing the course of investigation, intimidating prosecutors and preventing free access to opinions and information. The best way to deal with current allegations is to make them as public as possible and encourage free debate, rather than the opposite.What Turkish society yearns for is a functioning state, for professionalism and accountability in bringing both dirty laundry and truth to light, and for the rule of law to be applied to all. That, rather than finger-pointing bad guys, should be the real concern of any democrat.

2. Report Fulvio Dobrich | January 16 12:09pm | Permalink

Its about time that the AK party realizes that working with democratic forces - in a democratic way, while seemingly inefficient, is the best way to avoid extremism. Whenever individual rights, including the rights of journalists and free Internet access, are restricted it is highly likley that a country is going down the wrong path. Time to reasses and do so quickly.

3. Report vulpes | January 16 12:08pm | Permalink

@Felix Droost, I am not sure that either Erdogan or the Turkish electorate can so easily put the clock back to the "old Erdogan". All these recent problems have come after ten years in power without an effective democratic opposition. I think that the old saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is true here. Turkey needs an effective, democratic, parliamentary opposition to stop the rot. Such an opposition will not appear overnight. Until it does, the opposition is likely to be on the steets with the chaos and further undermining of democracy that this implies. The silver lining to this dark cloud is that such chaos may encourage the silent, the many mainly secular Turks and Alevis, Kurds and others to make common cause to form a vaible opposition.

4. Report Felix Drost | January 16 11:51am | Permalink

Turks need to take a very deep breath before this disagreement spins out of control any further. Fethullah Gülen was not elected and has no business infiltrating institutions, something he obviously is doing. But on the other hand the AK party should embrace plurality and reform institutions so that that are representative of everyone. The way especially Erdogan has behaved lately has not given many Turks the feeling that he is acting for the benefit of the whole so when there is a call to arms many will doubt the integrity behind it. Turkey and the world need the old Erdogan back.

5. Report KcA | January 16 11:40am | Permalink

Gulenists became an asymmetric power only because AKP needed and allowed it. They were foolish enough to not consider the consequences of this power turning against them.

AKP is a corrupt and rent seeking government. It must resign to save any little respect there is left for the instituitions of this country.

If not, the fight between Gulenists and AKP will turn uglier and uglier everyday, dragging down the whole country along with themselves. In the end "interest rate lobby" will be become a self fulfilling prophecy.

6. Report vulpes | January 16 11:31am | Permalink

@Killers, I can agree with the main thrust of your response to @Chamberlain. Several of my Turkish friends attended Catholic, Christian though nominally muslim (in fact secular themselves). Neither they nor the schools in question seemed to have any problem. However, seeking to convert muslims is not encouraged. incidentally, there is a Jewish school in Istanbul to serve the very old Turkish Jewish community. I have more issue with your your last line. What has the extrication of the UK from Europe, I guess you mean the EU, got to do with the technically non-secular status of the UK?

7. Report Poli | January 16 11:29am | Permalink

Very disappointed with FT for playing mouthpiece of a fundamental violator of basic human rights..this piece has no place on front page link on my iOS webapp which I pay $400 a year....and please FT take off the Turkish flag from it. That flag deservers better place than this...

8. Report Poli | January 16 11:26am | Permalink

Excuse me? Just because your party no longer gets along with its former religious friends, Turkish State will not burn the house to get rid of the flees...

This is a whitewash piece of article which boldly dismisses the root cause of the problem which is the one man autocratic system created by Erdogan which in turn disregards democratic pluralism, basic values of human rights and religious freedom (or from it)..

Gulenist may be part of the problem but getting rid of them not the entire solution..if you are looking for solution, focus on eliminating one man cult being created..not of Gulen but of Erdogan..

What a pitiful article...

9. Report Killers | January 16 11:02am | Permalink

@Chamberlain - are your comments based on ignorance, prejudice or a combination of both. Turkey is a secular country with a freedom to practice any religion, much like France or the US. Prime examples of countries that are not secular include the UK where the head of state is also the head of the church. But at least the UK appears to be on a path of extricating itself from Europe...

10. Report alion | January 16 10:56am | Permalink

Turkey must defend its democracy for sure... from the government who wont obey the law in order to hide their corruption..

11. Report What The Heck Is This | January 16 10:29am | Permalink

this article is presented as a proof of "western support" to AKP in her "democracy fight". I see in in twitter, shared as such. Yesterday, there were blaming "westerner", "israel", "iran" for all the conspiracy.

If a government in charge can not prevent this much of conspiracy, maybe they should leave and someone better handling it should come. but alas, there is no way for them to do that. then have given promises to a lot of their sponsors to pay them back via unofficial agreements, that's why they have to stay in power.

12. Report Maya | January 16 10:26am | Permalink

It's like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt claiming to be the paragons of secularism and civil rule!! Hypocrites

13. Report bitcoin rulez | January 16 10:26am | Permalink

Who is a bigger threat to the democracy? An authoritarian dictator bent on destroying the rule of law and trying to tie every secular institution of his country personally to himself, or a secret freemason-like religious sect with limited influence? 

This cheap attempt at saving your resident corrupt-dictator by blaming the Gulenists (was it the Gulenists who got caught with 4.5 million cash hidden in shoe-boxes?) will haunt you for the rest of your life mister Osman Can...

14. Report SZaybeque | January 16 10:18am | Permalink

What is this now? Are we to believe at the behest of the author that the AKP, which has worked so hard, hand in hand with the Gulenists to slander and dismantle all of Ataturk's secular reforms, is the beacon of secularism and democracy? Is this a joke?

This is nothing other than the pot calling the kettle black. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

15. Report Chamberlain | January 16 10:17am | Permalink

One fact is never mentioned by any commentators on Turkey: it is a nation state with no freedom of religion. That fact should exclude it from consideration for EU membership, but it is airbrushed out of all analysis.

16. Report dead.truth | January 16 10:12am | Permalink

I am very disappointed that FT let this pack of "naive" lies/BS published here! AK party which gets most of his vote from the least educated part of population, is again using its cunning strategy of putting the blame on someone else so that the same people vote for them in the next elections! Fortunately, noone with several brain cells buys the argument that this is a conspiracy by the groups like Gulenists, Western Governments, Interest rate lobby, as frequently repeated by Erdogan! 

Seeing that their end is approaching, it seems that AK will get more more and aggressive causing more disruption to the economy and pain for Turkish people! it is sad that there is no quick way of getting rid of people like him any (the army used to do it but not anymore!).

17. Report vulpes | January 16 9:58am | Permalink

For those who object to the FT publishing this article, it is both clearly labelled as an opinion and to its source. Whilst, personally I would take issue with this AK opinion, balanced journalism requires that all sides to an argument have a say. Balanced journalism is what I expect from the FT. That readers can have their say is part of the formula.

18. Report Less | January 16 9:37am | Permalink

How come there is no mention of the hundreds (not tens, hundreds) of alleged Gulenist police officers, DA's and bureaucrats since December 17? Furthermore, if AKP knew who they are for so long, why the rush to repost them now? And, finally, what happened to the rhetoric of "Brave, glorious and hero police" of Erdogan just after the Gezi protests?A fair and balanced commentary should at least diffuse those before requesting 'support'.

19. Report a-k | January 16 9:35am | Permalink

Shame on FT for publishing this piece. Erdoğan is dismantling the separation of powers within Turkish government and we are to read and believe this rubbish. Gulenists may have an agenda but they have solid evidence of severe corruption at the top levels of government and justice must perform its function.

20. Report TJ_JJ | January 16 9:18am | Permalink

Strangely enough, the author has audacity to ignore police evidence of how the whole AKP government is centered at the major corruption case that runs over $250 Billion!

Erdogan, in just released police tapes dated 2013, talks to the owner of a major retail group (BIM), how a bill on forestry would be changed drastically. Erdogan's son, Bilal, is at the center of corruption cases with a known Al Qaida funder nephew, according to the US records(Yasin Al Qadi of Saudi Arabia). Every inquiring mind in Turkey knows that all these sons and nephews are nothing but puppets of their powerful fathers, uncles.

That is how Turkey laundered money for Iranian oil bypassing the UN sanctions, according to the allegations by prosecutor, whom replaced by Erdogan government shamelessly, which the author never mentions. The West knows Erdogan led MIT (Turkish intelligence agency) is at the center of sending weapons and logistics to Islamist terrorists.

One wonders if any leader in the West (Obama, Cameron, Merkel, et el) would still see Erdogan as a democratic leader or a power hungry uber-corrupt leader that does destroy the final remnants of democracy in an important country such as Turkey and thus shun him off.

21. Report Andrew Wood London | January 16 9:05am | Permalink

'democratise the judiciary' I am sure I have read that line before in the history of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. For democracy to really work it needs a free press, an independent judiciary, free and fair elections, equality before the law and political parties willing to respect election results - I am not sure the AK party believes in any of these

22. Report NickBrain | January 16 8:52am | Permalink

And how are we to defend our democracy against Tayyip and AKP?

23. Report Hal-Luke Savas | January 16 8:29am | Permalink

What we read is herein clear and concise, we have no problem misunderstanding it. In any country the basic democratic principle is that only the elected representatives are authorised (power with responsibility) to exercise power on behalf of the people. Those who are interested in control without responsibility for their actions, through an illegal parallel government or dark state is what democracy is trying to solve in Turkey today; as understood by the article. We pray for democracy to prevail and good luck.

24. Report LVK | January 16 8:03am | Permalink

Osman Can writes "So the Gulenists, who have only 15 per cent support in the judiciary as a whole and only 2-3 per cent backing across society". Would he like to explain how he gets these numbers if AKP does not keep a tab

on Gulenists? Maybe he can also shed light on how more than 2,000 police officers were reassigned since Dec 17th and how AKP knew who the Gulen supporters in the police force were.

25. Report Savas | January 16 7:16am | Permalink

Mr. Erdogan and his cohorts, including Mr. Can, have demonstrated no interest in a true law-based democracy in Turkey. They hold to positions most favorable to them; hell with the country, democratic traditions and establishing anything that will benefit the future of Turkish democracy. In that sense, they are no different from everyone they criticized. Mr. Erdogan can't be trusted unless he demonstrates a true devotion to a democratic Turkey, the one established by Ataturk. With his dislike (even hate) of Ataturk and what he tried to do even under much more difficult conditions, he disqualified himself from becoming a leader of this great nation.

26. Report Riverwalk | January 16 6:16am | Permalink

I have to admire Osman Bey's wonderfully levantine litotes in the phrase "Unfortunately, the government failed to take the necessary prevention measures." Has any government in Turkey done anything to strengthen rule of law, democracy, alternance and decentralisation of authority, at the risk of weakening their own grip on power? Sadly, not that I can remember. The world had hoped that the AK would do the right thing in light of the aspirations of the Turkish people to be treated with dignity and respect by their own elected officials. Alas, little has changed. Balık baştan kokar

27. Report uggur | January 16 5:40am | Permalink

when are you going to tackle the corruption claims?

28. Report COM | January 16 5:38am | Permalink

The author is a member of the Central Committee of AKP and that says it all...

Thanks to Erdogan, we can no longer argue that there is rule of law in Turkey...

29. Report somersetli | January 16 1:40am | Permalink

What a courage Osman Can has? Your PM blames Westerners but you mention nothing of his claim and declare the Gulen movement an illegal structure without a shred of evidence. I am shicked to see this article at FT, which is a textbook example of disinformation. For God's sake, how do you feel satisfied when you just ignore mentioning millions of dollars found in the homes of the suspects? How do you sleep comfortably when you come to the point of covering corruption despite your being one of the prominent experts of constitutional law in Turkey? Or are you really a man of law?

30. Report mordillo | January 16 12:05am | Permalink

What Osman Can is trying to do here is a clear hypocrisy. Erdogan uses the religion card against the Gülen movement in Turkey by claiming without proof that the Gülen movement betrays to Islam and the muslims. Erdogan defines the movement as the internal enemies of Islam working for Israel and US. Then an AKP member writes for FT that the Gülen movement is anti-secular.

31. Report mirror | January 15 11:34pm | Permalink

A summary of Turkish politics here:

1. Mr. Erdogan uses his pious rhetoric to stay in the office but treat well himself and the rest of the cabinet and businessmen etc...

2. Mr. Gulen uses his rhetoric like "dialogue between religions" and "tolerance" to find new supporters and sympathisers; advises his men to infiltrate into important control points such as police force and judiciary in order to achieve his goals...

They were a kind of ally to each other against military and other secular elites..... When they thought they locked up all the secular and military figures (of course thanks to Mr Gulen's devoted men in the judicial and police to create those digital evidences which are proven to be fake by the EU and US Forensic labs.... ). Due to conflict of interests, they are now enemies... 

Anyway, they are the same: CORRUPT, DANGEROUS and a THREAT to democracy....

32. Report behcettin | January 15 11:23pm | Permalink

The crucial thing will be how severe the brooding economic crisis in Turkey will be. Depending on that things can get really out of control...

33. Report AEROSTAT | January 15 11:13pm | Permalink

Dear Prodemocracy only 50% of the country share your view the others most certainly do not and I for one am not a Gulenist merely an outside observer who is astounded by the measures to which the AKP are prepared to go to disguise their intent at crushing democratic freedoms in Turkey.My concern is less than you and the AKP , more as to why the West refuses to acknowledge the events in Turkey this year while still discussing Turkish membership to the EU.The party may well have started well but its political aims are no longer clear or seemingly compatible with freedom of expression.

34. Report Kaye | January 15 10:37pm | Permalink

Osman Can omits the most vital and important element of the unfolding events that is continuously repeated by his Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan: namely that accordiing to Erdogan the corruption investigations are being orchestrated by Turkey's "external and internal enemies". External enemies include the US (Erdoğan implicated the US ambassador to Turkey as being the mastermind behind the investigation, adding that he did not have to keep the ambassador on Turkish soil), Israel (“the interest rate lobby”), foreign powers not wanting Turkey to resolve its Kurdish issue (“the blood lobby”), Germany and England (according to Minister Davutoglu) and all those countries unhappy with Turkey's ongoing construction projects such as the new airport and new third Bosphorous bridge. 

According to Osman Can's party leader Erdogan, the Gulen movement is only the "internal" enemy carrying out these plans on behalf of their "international masters". According to Erdogan and his team, the "internal enemies" also include, the Gezi protestors, opposition party's, the Koc group, TUSIAD and many others. Together, these enemies comprise a "global coalition" whom Erdogan vows to "break", "crush" and against whom he has declared “second war of independence."

Now ask yourself at least the following 3 questions:

1. Why does Osman Can omit such a crucial piece of 'information' in his FT piece?

2. Why does he need to inform English-speaking readers (US and UK) of the unfolding developments when according to his PM, it is they that are orchestrating these events in the first place?

3. In all of this, what of the 6 steel safes and money-counting machine in the then Interior Ministers flat; the 4.5million in shoe boxes in the house of CEO of Halkbank; the 700,000tl (350,000euro) watch on the Economy Ministers wrist and the numerous transcripts and hard evidence showing that the Erdogan gov't laundered over 87billion dollars of Iran's money?

If your a member of the Central Committee of the AK Party, it is far easier to blame the Gulen movement than address the above questions.

35. Report AEROSTAT | January 15 10:10pm | Permalink

I am also baffled how the FT let this slip through it is a bare faced lie from start to finish, the partys elite is under investigation for corruption on a massive scale.

36. Report AEROSTAT | January 15 9:57pm | Permalink

Wel its fairly obvious that the author is a member of the AK party, this article reeks of propaganda. It is also true that the Gulenists have aims that raise suspicion but the AK partys actions recently in attempting to bring the judiciary under political control and the autocratic and brutal fashion in which they crushed the Istanbul protests have done more to reverse democracy in Turkey than any other single movement in recent times.They appear intent on dismantling secularism and replacing it with their version Islamic purity, having purged the military high command of all opposition with the highly controversial Ergonokom trial.

The arrested parties and the investigation centered on money laundering and corruption that involve family members extremely close to the partys elite, the ensuing dismissal of the countrys police chiefs to neutralise the judiciary because they were suspected Gulenists was a clear demonstration that the rule of law is highly questionable.This article contradicts with all that I have heard from informed and reliable sources and perhaps explains the Western indifference to the plight of secular Turks.

37. Report prodemocracy | January 15 9:45pm | Permalink

Dear (!) Gulenists, get a life for God sake! We're tired of seeing you in the comment sections and at twitter ''trend topics''. Waow! What a campaign spirit you have!.. But I have a bad news for u guys.. You won't be able to change the democratic route of Turkey.. Enough with the old despotic regime in the country. We all, as people of Turkey, not as ''Turkish people'', back up the government here. 'Cos we know that from now on governments will change in our country only by elections, not by coup d'etats or cheap and dirty judiciary campaings like you're conducting now..

38. Report veryslowhand | January 15 9:05pm | Permalink

A member of the Central Committee of Erdogan's party advises us on the threat posed by Gulenists infiltrating state institutions. How ironic. Erdogan's party has infiltrating state institutions for decades. 

After a whole series of excellent, informative and balanced articles from its own journalist, Daniel Dombey, I'm baffled as to why the Financial Times has decided to use this "article".

39. Report x | January 15 9:01pm | Permalink

"The writer is ... a member of the Central Committee of the AK party"

40. Report outside forces | January 15 8:59pm | Permalink

Well, you only mention that Gulenist are taking this operation deliberately. However why did you not mention about outside forces that doing this operation through Gulen movement. Because your party's president ( PM Erdogan) always outcrying about the external forces who want to topple him. While you justify your party's position to the international community here, on the other side your PM accusing international community of intervening Turkish politics. How can we believe in you? as you shape the democracy only for your personal aim and interest.

41. Report The Invisible Hand | January 15 8:05pm | Permalink

Corruption in high places has been endemic in Turkey since the Ottoman conquests of Anatolia. Without excusing corruption one must wonder at the timing of the recent use of this convenient stick by Methullah Gulen's well placed supporters to beat the AK government and prime minister Erdogan.

Mr Gulen lives in Pennsylvania and is actively involved in interfaith activities with the Christian and Jewish people of the Book. He opposed the disastrous Gaza aid mission to Gaza and is against the current support by Turkey to the Syrian jihadists who are also no longer supported by the West with any fervour.

Mr Gulen's appears to be the latest colour revolution to turn Turkey away from its opening to its traditional zone of influence to the East and pull it back to the "International Community's" adult supervision.

Colour revolutions have had a dismal record of success so far. Will this one be different?

42. Report Emre | January 15 7:36pm | Permalink

Good article. So hard to find such articles. Thank you.

43. Report Sule | January 15 7:07pm | Permalink

If you are a professor of constitutional law, you must know that the changes proposed to the structure of the HSYK is against the constitution (however flawed it may be) and against the commonly accepted norms of separation of powers. This separation of powers is one of the cornerstones of democracy. But, you don't seem to care about that part. I was appalled by the single-sidedness of your article until I came to the very end and realized that you are an AKP member. I wasted a good 5 minutes reading it. This time that I spend writing this comment, however, is not a waste as far as I am concerned.In this fight, neither side is right. I want democracy for Turkish people, real democracy, not the sham your party has been putting in front of the whole world for the past 6 years.

44. Report Madameski | January 15 6:38pm | Permalink

Interesting article thank you. Looking forwards it sounds like a proper constitution where everything is done in the open and everyone knows who has what powers would suit everyone. Surely, at some point, corruption charges will need to be proved? And at that point it will become clear what is or isn't the case?

45. Report Gaimusho | January 15 5:55pm | Permalink

Erdogan thinks that he can circumvent things and try to put a different frame to the events yet to assume investors to be naïve would not be appropriate . Turkish government corruption can not be over ruled by a religious take over stories. The truth is whether the corruption was uncovered by a religious figure or a layman does not change the fact that Turkish tax payers had been swindled. Turkish tax payers money is used to support terror in Syria, Turkey is trying to challenge sovereignty of Iraq. Today minimum wage is $376 per month. All this has nothing to do with your idea of defense of democracy.

Turkeys main problem is its diversion economically and culturally from the line of West, cooperating with SCO, making deals with China over defense, supporting terrorist in Syria, Supporting drug kingpins of PKK. Erdogan thinks he can hide these with a fallacy.Are you telling me as a constitutional law professor that this is in line with Turkish constitution. ?

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9e8c4212-7dd7-11e3-95dd-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2qZJ1lWjL