2023 was a year of great transformations and upheavals for Turkey in the legal, political, economic, and environmental fields. As the Association for the Study of Freedom (ÖAD), we continued our activities with a libertarian perspective during this critical period and took an active stance against the events.
The 2023 general elections had a profound impact on Turkey’s political atmosphere. The economic crisis directly affected voters’ preferences and political expectations. High inflation, unemployment and rising costs of living have caused serious economic problems for large segments of society. Although AKP nearly lost the election due to the economic crisis, it ultimately succeeded because of the political uncertainty surrounding the table of six, the selection of an unsuitable presidential candidate, and the failure to listen to public concerns. The decision of the table of six to give a large number of parliamentary seats to small parties in exchange for supporting Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s presidential candidacy caused great disappointment among voters. This resulted in voters’ political expectations not being met and reduced trust in the democratic process. Political uncertainties and internal bickering led to a loss of confidence among voters, and the elections destroyed the possibility of winning. Similar to the government’s creation of its own biased media over the years, the opposition created its own media in the run up to the elections. By imposing its preferred presidential candidate as the choice of opposition citizens, the opposition ensured that there was no independent media in Turkey and that a year of partisan media created by the government or opposition parties emerged.
During this period, it was clearly seen that the media was financially supported either by the government or opposition parties, and that there was a lack of an independent media that was able to create its own revenue models. As FRA, we have prepared structural reform proposals to prevent the media from becoming dependent not only on the government but also on opposition parties, and we have emphasized the need to ensure an independent media environment. Through the reports we published, and seminars we organized; we offered concrete suggestions for restructuring economic policies. We played an active role in strengthening Turkey’s democratic processes and meeting the expectations of the people. In 2023, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) changed its chairman through democratic methods after 13 years. This change set a positive example for the development of democratic culture and internal party democracy in Turkey.
As FRA, we evaluated this process in terms of democracy, emphasized the importance of democratic processes in political parties and tried to raise awareness on this issue. It was also a challenging year for the rule of law. The Constitutional Court’s acceptance of the case to shut down the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) reignited the debate on the politicization of law. During this period, FRA published various reports and analyses defending the rule of law, informing the public and drawing attention to the transparency of legal processes. One of the biggest events of 2023 was the earthquake disaster in February. This tragic event once again demonstrated the importance of civil society and solidarity in Turkey. Unfortunately, there were serious shortcomings and mistakes in the crisis management of the government and the state. Inadequate relief efforts, lack of coordination, and failures in post-disaster support processes made the living conditions of earthquake victims even more difficult. As FRA, we took swift action after the earthquake, supporting relief efforts in the earthquake region and organizing various events to ensure the coordination of civil society. We also analyzed media freedom after the earthquake and drew attention to the importance of accurate information and transparency.
2023 was also a year in which environmental issues came to the fore. The resistance in the Akbelen Forest became a symbol of the struggle to protect Turkey’s natural beauty. The destruction of the environment for the purposes of mineral exploration, power plants and tourism caused widespread protests and social reaction. As FRA, we have played an active role for the protection of environmental rights and sustainable development. Through the reports we published and the events we organized, we emphasized the importance of protecting nature and the environment. The COP28 Conference was also an important platform where environmental policies were discussed in 2023. In the final declaration of the conference, it was emphasized that more ambitious targets should be set in the fight against climate change. It was stated that concrete steps should be taken to reduce the use of fossil fuels, accelerate the transition to renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. As FRA, we carefully followed the results of COP28 and offered suggestions to bring Turkey’s environmental policies in line with international standards and to realize sustainable development goals.
The year 2023 also witnessed shocking events around the world. The war between Israel and Hamas led to the deaths of thousands of innocent people and a major humanitarian crisis. During this period, we issued statements emphasizing the need to respect international law and human rights norms and called for global peace and stability. However, the suffering and persecution of the Palestinian people is not over, and many developed democracies continue to remain silent on the issue.
Throughout 2023, the FRA played an active role on freedoms and human rights in Turkey. We continued to inform the public through various reports, analyses, and events. We are continuing our work without slowing down for 2024. We are determined to work for a freer Turkey with new projects and analysis on the rule of law, economic freedoms, political participation, structural reforms, and liberalism. As the Association for the Study of Freedom, we proudly present all the activities we carried out in 2023 and emphasize that we will continue our way with the same determination and determination in 2024. We will continue to work for a free and democratic Turkey with your support.
