cover of episode What's happening in Turkey?

What's happening in Turkey?

2025/4/3
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The Briefing Room

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D
David Aaronovitch
F
Firdevs Robinson
M
Mark Lowen
M
Monica Marks
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David Aaronovitch: 我主持了本次讨论,主要关注土耳其当前的政治局势以及埃尔多安政府与反对派之间的冲突。伊马莫卢的逮捕和监禁引发了大规模抗议,这引发了人们对土耳其民主未来走向的担忧。 我们讨论了埃尔多安的执政方式,他如何巩固权力,以及反对派是如何崛起的。我们还探讨了土耳其的经济状况以及腐败问题。 最后,我们对土耳其未来的政治走向进行了展望,讨论了如果反对派赢得选举,将会发生什么。 Mark Lowen: 我是BBC记者,长期驻扎伊斯坦布尔。我见证了埃尔多安的崛起以及他如何逐步收紧对媒体和公民社会的控制。伊马莫卢的逮捕是埃尔多安政府对反对派进行打压的最新例证。 我亲身经历了土耳其政府对异见记者的压制,我被驱逐出境就是明证。土耳其的媒体环境恶劣,独立记者面临巨大压力。 伊斯坦布尔市长选举的结果显示,埃尔多安在城市地区的支持率下降,这对他来说是一个重大打击。 Dr Ziya Meral: 我是SOAS国际研究和外交学讲师。我认为,伊马莫卢的案件是土耳其政治斗争的一个关键时刻。埃尔多安政府利用腐败指控来打压反对派,这已经成为一种模式。 土耳其的经济状况令人担忧,通货膨胀高企,这在一定程度上是由于埃尔多安政府的经济政策造成的。 土耳其的未来走向难以预测,但如果反对派能够赢得公平的选举,这将对土耳其的民主和法治产生积极影响。 Firdevs Robinson: 我是土耳其记者和广播员。伊马莫卢是一位年轻有为的政治家,他的崛起对埃尔多安政府是一个挑战。 土耳其社会对小规模腐败的容忍度较高,但对政治腐败的容忍度较低。 土耳其的选举制度存在问题,但投票箱在土耳其人民心中仍然神圣不可侵犯。 Monica Marks: 我是纽约大学阿布扎比分校中东政治学助理教授。我认为,土耳其正在经历从竞争性威权主义国家向封闭的威权主义国家转变。 埃尔多安政府对反对派的打压日益加剧,媒体和公民社会空间受到严重挤压。 如果反对派赢得选举,这将对土耳其和欧洲产生重大影响,但埃尔多安不太可能轻易放弃权力。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the background and political ascent of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, highlighting his early life, his involvement in Islamist politics, his surprising victory as Mayor of Istanbul, and his eventual rise to Prime Minister and President. It also touches upon his early pro-democracy image and his gradual shift towards authoritarianism.
  • Erdoğan's rise through Islamist politics in a secular regime
  • His surprising victory as Mayor of Istanbul in 1994
  • His imprisonment for reciting an Islamic poem
  • Formation of the Justice and Development Party (AKP)
  • His early pro-democracy image and pro-EU stance
  • His gradual shift towards authoritarianism and consolidation of power

Shownotes Transcript

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Turkey in the past two weeks in protest at the arrest and jailing of the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu. He’s seen as one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's strongest political rivals and since his arrest he’s been voted as the opposition party’s presidential candidate in the next elections. He’s been accused of corruption, which he strongly denies and his supporters see his detainment as a political move by the Government. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss whether we’re witnessing the end of democracy in Turkey.

Guests: Mark Lowen, BBC Correspondent and former BBC Istanbul Correspondent Dr Ziya Meral, Lecturer in International Studies and Diplomacy, SOAS Firdevs Robinson, Turkish journalist and broadcaster Monica Marks, Assistant Professor Middle East Politics , NYU in Abu Dhabi

Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Dave O’Neill and James Beard Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Vadon

(Image: Demonstration organised by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) against the detention of Istanbul’s mayor, in Istanbul, Turkey - 29 March 2025. Credit: Tolga Bozoglu/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)