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The Briefing Room

Should we worry about Turkey?

The Briefing Room

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.8731 Ratings

🗓️ 13 April 2017

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What does Turkey's referendum mean for the UK's foreign policy?

The UK has long seen Turkey as a bastion of stability in the Middle East: a Muslim-majority democracy, a NATO member and ally against so-called Islamic State; a physical and ideological bridge between east and west; and a fascinating and pleasant place to take our families on holiday.

That stability is increasingly in doubt. A series of bloody terror attacks has made many holidaymakers think twice about Turkey. More fundamentally, Turks are in the midst of a bitter referendum campaign that could change how they're ruled. On the face of it, they should be united about Sunday's constitutional referendum.

Most agree the current constitution, drafted by on the orders of the military following a coup in 1980, needs change. Yet the two sides have literally been throwing punches.

Leading campaigners have been physically attacked; there's been a brawl in parliament. The Yes camp, led by the government, has painted its opponents as terrorists. The No camp say it's a power grab by the increasingly authoritarian president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

"The wrong choices have the potential to deliver catastrophe well beyond Turkey's borders," a UK parliamentary report found recently. "Turkey's democracy and democratic culture are under severe pressure."

In this edition, David Aaronovich hears from:

Chris Morris, the BBC's long-time Turkey watcher

Ziya Meral, Resident Fellow, the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research

Firdevs Robinson, Turkish journalist and broadcaster

Gulnur Aybet, senior advisor to President Erdogan

Producer: Neal Razzell.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to the briefing room with me, David Aronovich.

0:03.2

This week, we're looking at Turkey.

0:05.6

There's going to be a referendum there on Sunday.

0:08.1

Critics say a yes vote would institutionalise the one-man rule of the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

0:14.5

In effect, create a democratic dictatorship.

0:17.7

The government says the changes needed to solve the country's many ills, including a sagging economy and repeated terrorist attacks.

0:24.6

So our question on the briefing room is, should we worry about Turkey?

0:32.6

This weekend, there'll be a referendum in Turkey.

0:39.3

It's been described as a moment when this strategically vital country

0:43.3

stands poised between democracy and autocracy.

0:47.3

In the briefing room, I'll be asking experts to tell me what the referendum is about,

0:51.3

what's at stake, and who's likely to win?

0:58.8

The first thing we need is some proper background. The BBC's Chris Morris has covered

1:04.1

Turkey for years and has written a book about it, and we asked him to file an essay on Sunday's

1:09.1

referendum. On the face of it, the referendum is about changing a constitution written at the behest of generals

1:15.4

who took power in a coup nearly 30 years ago.

1:19.3

In truth, this is all about one man, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

1:24.4

I've been following his career for more than two decades now, and if you want to understand Sunday's referendum, you've been following his career for more than two decades now,

1:28.4

and if you want to understand Sunday's referendum,

1:31.2

you've got to understand Erdogan.

1:34.0

Today, a manned byrdi.

1:39.5

Right on cue, they've just released a glowing dramatization of his life on the big screen.

...

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