Heart vs. mind

To what extent the emotions such situations trigger should guide official government policy, however, is another issue.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a firm ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, vented his frustration in a recent speech, directing his ire at Western governments. It can certainly be argued that neither the US nor the EU was quick or firm enough in their response to the military takeover, although attitudes are getting tougher. It is also evident that deposed President Mohammed Morsi's interpretation of his electoral victory as carte blanche to impose his views was causing concern in western capitals, as well as among Egyptians who wanted a pluralist system rather than an Islamist one.  

But in his recent outburst, the prime minister was throwing the baby out with the bathwater by suggesting, paradoxically, that the West's attitude toward Egypt would lead "democracy to be questioned" all over the world, including in Turkey itself. The West has many shortcomings, but recent events have shown that more, rather than less, democracy is needed.  

In the 1990s, Turkey always had a rather sentimental approach to foreign policy, dividing nations into those who "loved" Turkey and those it decided “did not love" Turkey because they were more critical. Thus the US, which focused on strategic relations, was deemed friendly in those days; whereas the EU, outspoken on human rights violations, was viewed with suspicion.

Enter the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), and for a while policies seemed governed more by a rational analysis of the interests at stake than by perceptions of likes and dislikes. I remember a short trip to European capitals shortly after the AK Party came to power. Mr. Erdoğan impressed European leaders who were used to traditional brinkmanship tactics with his cool-headed stance. This pragmatic understanding of Turkey's interests was behind many of the government's early democratic reforms and brave moves, such as the decision, sadly unrewarded by the EU, to work toward the reunification of Cyprus.

A decade later, however, emotions, rather than cool-headed assessments, have regained the upper hand. The pragmatism of the early years has been replaced by self-righteous outrage, whether in response to domestic events such as the Gezi protests or to foreign challenges. The government's pro-active regional policy, which at first appeared rational, has turned into one that appears to be guided more by sentiment and a sectarian line. This gives Turkey little room to maneuver as it seeks to adjust to the political twists and turns of a volatile region.

Turkey's ability to influence events in the region remains limited and this probably applies to the international community, too. But if Ankara is worried that the West is biased in its perception of Islam-based political parties, it can help challenge the prejudice by demonstrating through deeds rather than fiery denunciations that Islam is compatible with a truly pluralist system.

In its first few years in power, the AK Party did just that and it won over many skeptics who had initially doubted the democratic credentials of a party born of Turkey's Islamist movement. Unfortunately, the increasingly authoritarian attitude adopted by the prime minister has eroded this positive image.

Turkey has a long history of authoritarianism, mostly under a staunchly secular army, but it was noticeable during the recent demonstrations that the Islamist label was often used to describe the Turkish government, largely because the AK Party has used religion more frequently to justify controversial policies. As a result, the unrest was, simplistically described by many outsiders as a struggle between secularism and Islam.

Improving democratic practices at home and speeding up reforms would not only reduce polarization in this country, it would also give Turkey more weight when it speaks out against human rights violations internationally. Above all, it would demonstrate that an advanced form of democracy that is not limited to holding elections, but which also protects individual rights can flourish in the region.