The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Polarization in Turkey

Discussants

• Emre Erdoğan, Professor of International Relations, Bilgi University
• Lisel Hintz, Assistant Professor of International Relations, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University
• Andrew O'Donohue, Research Fellow, Istanbul Policy Center 

Moderator

• Jonathan Katz, Senior Fellow, GMF

The German Marshall Fund (GMF) continues its On Turkey Conversations, a series of webinars featuring conversations with GMF's On Turkey Series authors, and focusing on the most recent On Turkey Series analysis pieces, with a new session on April 10.

The chain of events triggered by the coronavirus will also have a significant impact on the future of democracy. With a recent transition to a presidential system, in which power is concentrated in the hands of the president and a deeply polarized society, Turkey presents an interesting test case in terms of the impact of the pandemic on democracy and politics. The performance of the Turkish government during the pandemic will be definitive for its destiny, and this time, narratives will be beaten by the obvious facts. Will the pandemic help mitigate polarization in Turkey or further aggravate it? What are some possible long-term consequences of the shared feeling of fear, which is a result of the pandemic on Turkish democracy?

If you have any questions, please contact Ceylan Canbilek at [email protected].

Click here for related article.