In the aftermath of the Iraq invasion, as Iraqi leaders were just beginning to chart their new state, many people asked: Can democracy take root in a predominantly Muslim state in the Middle East? The answer then was: Yes, just look at Turkey. Overwhelmingly Islamic, Turkey has been defiantly secular in its government, with the military vested as the guardian of the barrier between mosque and state.
But that is being tested — again.
The flash point: the nomination of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to be the nation’s next president. The ascension of Gul to the presidency would consolidate the hold of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamic-rooted ruling party on Turkish government. And that inflamed fears that Gul and Erdogan would use that control to steer Turkey toward strict, Islamic rule.
Last week, those fears prompted a veiled threat from Turkish military leaders that they might move against the government if it strayed too far from secularism. On Sunday, hundreds of thousands flooded the streets of Istanbul in protest, including many women who fear political Islam would rob them of personal freedoms and economic opportunities. This week, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other leaders have warned the military to stay put. They sent the right message: Let democracy work.
Fortunately, Turkey has now backed away from the brink of crisis. The nation’s high court blocked Gul’s ascension, and lawmakers on Thursday set early national elections for July to settle the matter.
Much is at stake here. Turkey remains a key American ally in the region. It is a member of NATO and has solid relations with Israel. It remains a vital symbol of democracy in a region of autocrats and dictators.
The modern Turkish republic was founded on the principles of democracy and secularism. Its visionary leader, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, banned Islamic symbols and practices. But Erdogan’s ruling party has fanned fears of creeping Islamic rule. The party has encouraged religious schools and discussed ending the prohibition on Islamic head scarves in public offices and schools.
But Erdogan and his government also have spearheaded several major political and economic reforms. “They’ve done more to put Turkey on the path of more liberal, open democratic polity than any other previous Turkish government,” said Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Erdogan and his ruling party have endorsed the right solution: Democracy. “There is nowhere more beautiful than the ballot box for criticism,” Erdogan said.
As we’ve seen in the Palestinian territories and elsewhere, democracy doesn’t always yield the results that Western powers would wish. But that is a risk worth taking, every time.
