July 15 Ten Years On: The Historical Consolidation of Turkish National Will - EUROPE SAYS
Political elite behaviorThe behavior of the political elite is one of the decisive factors in the success of coup attempts. The fragmentation of political leadership leads to institutional disintegration and. . .
Political elite behaviorThe behavior of the political elite is one of the decisive factors in the success of coup attempts. The fragmentation of political leadership leads to institutional disintegration and opens up a space of legitimacy for the coup plotters. On 15 July, the opposite occurred. The fact that elected officials did not step down, that a significant portion of state institutions remained committed to the constitutional order, and that various political actors adopted an anti-coup stance prevented a legitimacy vacuum from forming. The institutionalization of democracy depends on actors accepting the rules of the democratic game as the sole legitimate framework. The political stance that emerged on the night of the coup can be interpreted as one of the strongest indicators of this normative internalization. The concept of ‘victory’ is usually addressed in historiography through the lens of wars. However, critical turning points at which nations safeguard their political sovereignty are also classified as historical victories. Defining July 15 as a national victory in this context is firmly grounded in strong conceptual foundations. This is because what was safeguarded was not merely a change of government. The structure that was safeguarded comprises constitutional legitimacy, popular sovereignty and the system of democratic representation. In this context, drawing a direct analogy with the Battle of Gallipoli and the Turkish War of Independence must be approached with historical caution; yet the common ground is clear: the defense of the nation’s very existence. On July 15, the threat did not manifest itself in the form of external occupation. The threat manifested itself as the usurpation of sovereignty from within—by those among us who, in the name of the ‘outside’, sought to seize it through the ballot box. This usurpation was not permitted through a nationwide national resistance. On the tenth anniversary of July 15, the historical perspective is becoming clearer. The line stretching from the final years of the Ottoman Empire to the military interventions of the Republic demonstrates the continuity of a tutelary political culture in Turkey. May 27, March 12, September 12, February 28 and April 27 are different manifestations of this continuity. July 15 represents a structural break in this line. This event has shaken the historical assumptions that a coup was an inevitable fate. National resistance, political resolve and institutional loyalty combined to thwart the coup attempt. For this reason, 15 July cannot be defined or explained merely as a foiled coup attempt. The historical significance of the event runs much deeper. 15 July represents the societal defence of democratic legitimacy, and the historical consolidation of the people’s will and sovereignty in the face of a tutelary power. (Originally published in Turkish by Kriter)