As the Republic of Türkiye marks its 102nd anniversary, there is both much to celebrate and much to confront. Declared on the 29th of October 1923 as one of the earliest modern republics of the non-Western world, Türkiye began its journey with remarkable foresight — embracing values many Western nations had yet to adopt.
Yet, despite this early vision, we have fallen short of realizing the promise of that beginning. We could have been a better, more just, more peaceful nation — one where people do not fight over identity, belief, or lifestyle.
The Republic was built with immense sacrifice — through the blood of millions, guided by the leadership, courage, and vision of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades. But while the founders sought to crown the Republic with democracy, that process never fully materialized.
At 102 years old, Türkiye should have long been a strong, independent state governed by the rule of law — free from internal divisions over faith, identity, or ideology. Sadly, it is not.
From its foundation, the Republic carried what might be called the “Sevres paranoia” — the deep fear that foreign powers would once again divide the nation, as they attempted to after World War I. This anxiety shaped both the state and society, often suffocating democratic development. Every attempt at political liberalization triggered new fears of disintegration. As a result, democracy remained fragile, and national unity — though rhetorically celebrated — was never fully secured.
The philosophical core of the Republic, Atatürk’s vision of enlightenment and progress, was misunderstood by both secularists and conservatives. Many religious conservatives saw it as hostility toward faith; meanwhile, some self-proclaimed Kemalists reduced it to a rigid form of cultural elitism — dancing at balls and drinking wine, rather than building a just, inclusive democracy.
The rich, humanistic tradition of Anatolian Islam — warm, communal, and deeply humane — was also distorted. In fighting political Islamism, the state often ended up fighting religiosity itself. This left deep social scars, alienating millions of ordinary believers.
Over decades, polarization hardened. The left was exiled in the 1980s, Kurds were denied of their ethnicity and existence, Alevis were marginalized, and identity-based hierarchies became embedded in the state’s DNA.
And yet, the Republic has enduring strengths. Türkiye was among the first nations in Europe to grant women the right to vote and to be elected. Despite a flawed democracy, faith in the ballot box persists. Millions of young people are educated, globally connected, and eager to engage with the world. Geographically blessed, Türkiye still holds immense potential. The question is: can we now use these assets to renew our Republic?
That renewal begins with what I call “To Become of Türkiye” — Türkiyelileşmek[1].
This is not about ethnicity or religion, but about embracing a civic identity rooted in equality and shared responsibility.
For too long, the notion of a “proper citizen” in Türkiye has implicitly meant being ethnically Turkish, Sunni Muslim, and male. This narrow definition excludes millions who belong to the same land but not to that mold.
Türkiyelileşmek challenges that paradigm by redefining citizenship through belonging rather than bloodline — seeing every person, regardless of origin or belief, as an equal part of the national whole.
This idea also holds the key to healing Türkiye’s social divides. It calls for replacing fear and polarization with empathy and common purpose. When people in Diyarbakır, Trabzon, and Edirne can feel connected by shared dignity and mutual care, the nation transforms from fragmented identities into a single community.
“Türkiyelileşmek” is thus not a slogan but a moral and democratic vision — one that measures patriotism not by how loudly we proclaim it, but by how fairly we treat one another.
Türkiye’s Democracy in Decline
But such renewal cannot happen without an independent judiciary and a free press — both of which are under severe strain.
The World Justice Project’s 2025 Rule of Law Index ranks Türkiye1 118th out of 143 countries worldwide, and 14th out of 15 in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. Its overall rule-of-law score fell by 1.9% in the past year, with especially low rankings in Constraints on Government Powers (136/143) and Fundamental Rights (134/143). The report warns that executive overreach, weakened checks and balances, and shrinking civic space are accelerating Türkiye’s slide away from democratic governance — a reflection of deeper institutional decay.
According to Reporters Without Borders’ 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Türkiye ranks 159th out of 180 countries2, making it one of the most repressive environments for journalists in Europe and the wider region. The report cites widespread judicial harassment, arbitrary arrests, and the use of “terrorism” charges against critical voices. Nearly 90% of national media remains under direct or indirect government control, while self-censorship has become a survival strategy for many journalists.
Freedoms of assembly, association, and civic participation have all declined, underscoring a political climate where dissent is not only discouraged but increasingly criminalized.
This atmosphere of repression extends beyond the press into the broader political sphere. In recent years, the governing AKP, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has systematically eroded the space for legitimate opposition through judicial intimidation, administrative bans, and selective prosecutions. Dozens of elected mayors — including Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, widely regarded as Erdoğan’s strongest political rival — have been removed from office, targeted by criminal investigations, or imprisoned.
Opposition figures face a relentless cycle of defamation suits, terrorism-related charges, and orchestrated media attacks. The suppression of political parties, restrictions on public rallies, and manipulation of electoral laws reveal a deliberate strategy aimed at consolidating power rather than fostering democratic competition. What remains is a managed democracy — one where elections are held, but political pluralism is suffocated.
A republic without the rule of law, and democracy without a free press, is a body without a conscience. If Türkiye is to honor the spirit of its founding vision, it must restore judicial independence, protect minorities, revive the principles of transparent governance, and reestablish genuine checks and balances within the state. Only then can the Republic once again become a home for all its citizens.
At 102, despair is not an option. The Republic still holds vast moral and human capital. What it needs is awareness — and courage: the courage to renew the founding promise of a just, inclusive, democratic nation.
Türkiyelileşmek means putting the people of Anatolia first — seeing ourselves as parts of one living whole. The Republic is our shared home.
We could have done better, but it is not too late…
[1] “Türkiyelileşmek” comes from Türkiye (Turkey) + the suffix -li (belonging to) + -leşmek (to become).
It does not mean to become ethnically Turkish (that would be Türkleşmek). Instead, it refers to embracing a shared civic identity rooted in the Republic of Türkiye, transcending ethnic, sectarian, or ideological divides.
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