The reaction of politicians to the execution of 13 Turkish citizens by the PKK terrorist group (Links to an external site.) demonstrates the challenges Turkey faces in its counterterrorism efforts. Political parties and their representatives should be expected to respond differently to an act of terrorism, as Turkey has been fighting some of the world’s most sinister organizations – including the PKK, Daesh and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) – simultaneously for the last six years.
Fighting terrorism is a question of national interest, on which the government and the opposition are supposed to agree. The argument goes that there is a very thick line between subjecting anti-terrorism policies to democratic scrutiny and undermining the nation’s efforts. What do you think? See what you can find in the literature about counterterrorism efforts and contested domestic politics.