| Part of a series on |
| Conservatism |
|---|
 |
| Part of a series on Islamism |
|---|
 Politics portal |
Conservative democracy (Turkish: muhafazakâr demokrasi) is a label coined by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkey to describe Islamic democracy.[1][2][3][4][5] Forming as a modernist breakaway party from former Islamist movements, the AKP's conservative democratic ideology has been described as a departure from or moderation of Islamic democracy and the endorsement of more secular and democratic values. The electoral success and the neo-Ottoman foreign policy of the AKP that aims to broaden Turkey's regional influence has led to the party's conservative democratic ideals to be mirrored in other countries, such as by the Justice and Development Party in Morocco and the Ennahda Movement in Tunisia.[6][7][8]
In its broadest sense, the term conservative democracy highlights the compatibility of Islam with democracy, a Western-oriented foreign policy, neoliberal economics and secularism within government.[7][9] Since the view has been reflected in several economic, foreign, domestic and social policy initiatives, the term conservative democracy has been referred to as a floating signifier that encompasses a broad coalition of ideas.[10] In contrast, and because of its broad definition, the term has also been accused of being a red herring designed to conceal a hidden Islamist agenda but maintain public support.[11]
The main ideals of conservative democracy are best identified when they are compared to the Islamist ideology advocated by the AKP's preceding parties.[12] A substantial contrast between the two exist, for example, on their position regarding the European Union, Israel, the United States, economic policy, and to a lesser extent social policy.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Dağı, İhsan (3 June 2012). "What is wrong with the AK Party?". Today's Zaman. Archived from the original on 2 September 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ "Muhafazakar Demokrat". 140journos (in Turkish). 20 August 2017. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ Bulaç, Ali (2007). "Ak Parti ve Muhafazakar Demokrasi". www.koprudergisi.com (in Turkish). Köprü Dergisi. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Islamists in Morocco election claim 'historic' vote breakthrough". 26 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Erdogan tells Tunisians that Islam and democracy can work - The National". 16 September 2011. Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ "AK Party Model for Islamists - Articles". Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Pınar Bilgin (January 2003). "Securing Turkey through western-oriented foreign policy". New perspectives on Turkey. 40: 103–123. doi:10.1017/S0896634600005239.
- ^ "AKP's 'Conservative Democracy' as an Empty Signifier in Turkish Polit…". Archived from the original on 1 March 2015.
- ^ Drechselova, Lucie (7 April 2011). "Turkey: AKP's Hidden Agenda or a Different Vision of Secularism?". Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Yavuz, M. Hakan; Öztürk, Ahmet Erdi (18 February 2019). "Turkish secularism and Islam under the reign of Erdoğan". Southeast European and Black Sea Studies. 19: 1–9. doi:10.1080/14683857.2019.1580828. ISSN 1468-3857.