Despite Coup Failure, Turkish Democracy Still at Risk

Posted: July 22nd, 2016

By Aykan Erdemir

Dr. Aykan Erdemir is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and a former member of the Turkish Parliament (2011-2015). He is a founding member of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief, and a recipient of the 2016 Stefanus Prize for Religious Freedom. Erdemir holds a PhD in Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, and is co-author of the 2016 book Antagonistic Tolerance: Competitive Sharing of Religious Sites and Spaces (Routledge).

One week after the failed military coup took place in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken significant steps to consolidate his power, firing thousands of government employees from many different sectors. To better understand Erdogan’s actions and how they are viewed by the Turkish public, The Cipher Brief’s Fritz Lodge spoke with Aykan Erdemir, a former member of the Turkish Parliament from 2011-2015.

The Cipher Brief: It’s been about a week since the failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erodgan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP)-led government. What is the current state of play?

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