[S]ince a failed coup attempt last summer sent the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into a frenzied hunt for its enemies, members of the news media have faced exceptional peril, according to press advocates. – Washington Post
Editorial: The danger for the Middle East, and for Turkey’s NATO allies, is that the country could evolve into an Islamist state in the mold of Iran—albeit Sunni, not Shiite. Mr. Erdogan beguiled many in his early years as an Islamist leader who claimed to respect democratic norms, but the sad irony is that his drive for to authoritarian power will lead many in the West to the unfortunate conclusion that Islam and democracy are incompatible. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Soner Cagaptay writes: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an archetype of the antielitist, far-right politician, has spent almost two decades building up to this moment. He has demonized and cracked down on constituencies unlikely to vote for him, weakening his opposition and polarizing the country. Now he hopes he has enough supporters to vote on a constitutional amendment that would put him in charge of all three branches of government. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Howard Eissenstat writes: One of the core arguments that President Erdoğan has offered for expanding his power through constitutional reforms is that further centralization of authority will increase stability. Yet the experience of the past ten years has demonstrated that the opposite is true. Without reestablishing rule of law and the independence of state institutions, without creating opportunities for those out of power to participate in their own political futures, the instability that has rocked the country over the past five years likely will intensify. The tragedy of Turkey’s failure is immense. – Project on Middle East Democracy