Is Turkey Drifting Towards Authoritarian Rule Today?

Turkey, a nation once hailed as a modern secular republic in the Islamic world, appears to be at a historical crossroads under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Many political observers and historians now question whether the country is shifting away from its founding ideals toward a more authoritarian and religiously driven governance structure. To understand this transformation, one must revisit Turkey’s long and complex journey from the powerful Ottoman Empire to the secular republic envisioned by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The Ottoman Empire, which spanned centuries and continents, was one of the most influential Islamic powers in history. Its decline led to the formation of modern-day Turkey in 1923, under the leadership of Atatürk, who introduced sweeping reforms that turned the empire into a secular, democratic, and Western-leaning republic. Religion was removed from state affairs, the Arabic script was replaced with the Latin alphabet, and women were granted rights unheard of in much of the Islamic world at the time. However, over the last two decades, Erdogan has systematically reversed many of these foundational principles. He has increased the role of Islam in public life, converted iconic secular landmarks like Hagia Sophia back into mosques, restricted press freedoms, and concentrated political power in the presidency, raising alarm bells in global democratic circles. Critics argue that these steps are not merely policy choices but part of a broader attempt to reshape Turkey’s identity in a more conservative and centralized mold.

Erdogan has publicly distanced himself from Atatürk’s legacy, often invoking Ottoman pride and Islamic heritage. His actions reflect a desire to replace the secular republic model with a neo-Ottoman, religiously tinted national identity. Supporters hail him as a strong leader restoring Turkey’s lost glory, while detractors see him as dismantling a carefully built democratic framework in favor of one-man rule. Internationally, this ideological shift has strained Turkey’s relations with traditional Western allies, though it has bolstered its appeal in parts of the Muslim world. The question now remains: Is Turkey’s future more aligned with Atatürk’s vision or Erdogan’s ambitions? The answer may define the region’s political balance for decades to come.