Lessons 20 · 1 lessons · Sh. Ergashev, B. Xodjayev, J. Abdullayev. World History (1991–2017): textbook for Grade 11 of secondary schools and for students of secondary specialised and vocational institutions. 1st edition. “Turon-Iqbol”, Tashkent, 2018
20
The Republic of Türkiye, 1991–2017
Textbook: pp. 90–93
GoalExplain Türkiye’s political and economic development and foreign policy after 1991.
New words
a parliamentary republic, in which the government depends on parliament · parlament respublikasia presidential system, in which the president heads the executive · prezidentlik tizimi15 July 2016, the date of the attempted coup · 15-iyul 2016NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Türkiye has been a member since 1952 · NATO
Explanation
In the 1990s, under leaders such as Turgut Özal and Süleyman Demirel, Türkiye’s economy opened up, but coalition governments were unstable, inflation was high and armed conflict with the PKK continued in the south-east. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the 2002 election; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was prime minister in 2003–2014 and has been president since 2014. On 15 July 2016 part of the military tried a coup, which failed, and many people died; a state of emergency followed and thousands of public servants were dismissed, which the government calls a fight against terrorism, while international organizations and critics voice human rights concerns. A 2017 referendum moved the country to a presidential system. The earthquakes of February 2023 killed tens of thousands of people. The PKK announced in 2025 that it was dissolving itself. Türkiye is a NATO member and has been an EU candidate since 1999; accession talks opened in 2005 but have been at a standstill since 2016–2018. After negotiations the Turkish parliament approved the NATO membership of Finland (March 2023) and Sweden (January 2024).
Worked examples
Earthquake: in February 2023 powerful earthquakes struck south-eastern Türkiye and northern Syria; international aid, including from Uzbekistan, arrived and rebuilding began in many cities.
Foreign policy: because of its position between the Black Sea and the Middle East, Türkiye keeps contacts with Russia, Ukraine, the West and the Middle East at the same time; in 2022 it also hosted talks linked to Ukraine.
Class activity
Show the changes in Türkiye’s political system in 1990–2025 as a simple chain (parliamentary republic, 2002, 2016, 2017) and explain each stage in one sentence.
Practice
1
In which year did the AKP win the election?
In 2002.
2
What did the 2017 referendum change?
The country moved from a parliamentary to a presidential system.
3
What happened on 15 July 2016 and with what result?
Part of the military attempted a coup; it failed and a state of emergency was declared.
4
Why does Türkiye keep contacts with several sides in foreign policy?
Its geographic position, where Europe, the Black Sea and the Middle East meet.