Abstract:

Preventing the institutionalization of democracy in Turkey, the main problem is the privilege of the military in the political system. Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) has intervened in civilian politics many times with the idea that it has a mission to protect the regime, and after each intervention, it has determined the conditions for transition to democracy while transferring power to civilians. After the coups, with the privileges obtained the military strengthened in the political system. With the legal arrangements, TAF has legitimized its political power by placing it on the legal ground. Periodic military interventions and the increased political autonomy of the military with each intervention have taken armed forces and their activities away from the point of democratic civilian control. Although significant reforms have been made in the EU process, the July 15 incident has shown that the issue of civilian military relations is still important in Turkey and military coups still threaten the country. It is important for the democracy that the armed forces depend on the elected civil authority and are subject to civilian oversight. The issue is remarkable in this respect. This study mainly examines the structure of civil-military relations in Turkey with the concepts of civil-military contestation and military prerogatives.

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