The Battle between the Principles of Kemalism and Islamism in the Political System of Turkey

Abstract

The scientific article is devoted to studying the Turkish political system in the context of transforming ideological views. Special attention is paid to the dynamics of the development of Islamic ideology, and subsequently religious political cells of the Turkish political society. The publication provides a thorough and detailed analysis of the fundamental documents of the Justice and Development Party, the concept of «Strategic Depth», the texts of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey and a number of other documents. Based on the use of these sources, the author identifies a number of hypotheses according to which the concept of political Islam in Turkey has developed. To complete the picture presented by the author, information is provided on the participation of Kurds in politics during the period when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power. The purpose of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of the transformation of the Turkish political system from a Kemalist form – a secular path of development to a pronounced religious orientation. As a result of the scientific research, the key factors of changes in the political environment in Turkey have been identified, through the arrival of the Justice and Development Party and the consolidation of Erdogan's power, which led to the formation of a new political vision of the state.