The Sultan’s march to absolute totalitarianism by Timothy Davies
In the twilight of Turkish democracy, as opposition voices dwindle to whispers and the last remnants of dissent slip beneath the iron grip of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, one cannot help but wonder whether Ataturk’s vision has finally collapsed under the weight of a new despotism. Erdoğan, like a sultan resplendent in modern garb, has effectively dismantled the republic’s democratic framework, replacing it with a grotesque parody of governance that would make even the most ruthless of dictators’ blush. With each new decree and constitutional tweak, Erdoğan consolidates his power, silencing critics with a precision reminiscent of the most brutal autocrats of the 20th century. The irony, of course, is that he cloaks his regime not in military fatigues but in tailored suits, all the while selling the illusion of a democracy to a weary world too preoccupied to intervene. The latest affront came in the form of sweeping laws that criminalize dissent under the guise of “national securit...
