Turkey under the Hegemony of AKP: An Utmost Case of Neoliberal Populism

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in Turkey in 2002 and since then it remained in power and even increased its popularity despite its increasingly authoritarian style of ruling. It is puzzling that AKP could stay in power so long without facing any governmental fatigue and also its votes mostly come from the poorer sectors of the society despite its neoliberal economic policies. It is generally presumed that neoliberalism is incompatible with populism. This study argues that populism can flourish in neoliberal economic circumstances and that the case of Turkey is a foremost example of “neoliberal populism.” This study will seek to understand the factors that led to the increasing hegemony of neoliberal populist regime in Turkey. Mainly two sets of factors will be examined: the political and economic conditions prior to 2002 and the material benefits that the AKP governments have provided to the Turkish population.