An Analysis on the Relationship between AKP and Gulen Movement
Li You and Han Jun
Abstract: The failed coup attempt on 15 July 2016 in Turkey was the climax of aseries of former confrontations between the two formerly－allied factions of‘moderate’ political Islam—the Erdogan－AKP administration and the Fethullah Gulen＇s Gulen Movement. The cooperation of two Islamic actors in Turkey has transformed the secularism state＇s strict control of the religious field. The AKP did so through its“participation”in party politics，the Gulen Movement contributed to this transformation through its “non－participation” in party politics as a social movement. Once Erdogan eliminated the Kemalist‘leviathan’，a conflict between he and Gulen occured. These two movements，by following different political paths，have embodied different opportunities for and challenges to Turkish democratization. The development of their relationship，on one hand，has promoted Islamic resurgence and democratic transition; on the other hand，it has resulted in the AKP＇s politics of hegemony，erosion of the rule of law，undermining of institutional checks and balances，the fall of Turkey as a model.
Keywords: Turkey; Gulen Movement; AKP; relationship
Authors: Li You，associate research fellow of Research Center for Geopolitics of Central Asia，Xinjiang University; Han Jun，professor and Director of Research Center for Geopolitics of Central Asia，Xinjiang University