Populism, nationalism, and religion during Turkey’s autocratization episode

Comparative politics scholarship treats Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule in Turkey as a major example of both right-wing populism in power and incremental autocratization. How did the pro-Islamic AKP harness populism, nationalism, and religion over the years? This article shows that populism, nationalism, and religion all featured prominently in the party’s political outlook since early years even though significant changes in their ideational contents and respective roles can be observed over time. Arguing that a ‘thin’ populism that strategically stressed anti-corruption and did not antagonize non-Islamist social groups prevailed early on along with economic nationalist claims, the article rectifies the conventional wisdom portraying a populist and nationalist ‘turn’ in much later years. It also contends that qualitative changes in the party’s populism and approach to nationalism and religion are best understood with respect to changes in the political, institutional, and economic landscapes. I conclude that while circumstances curbed Islamism in the 2000s, advanced autocratization offered the AKP unprecedented opportunities for state-sponsored Islamization. The results highlight the dynamic evolution of populism along with changing environmental factors and background conditions, challenging the view that populism is a fairly stable and consistent set of ideas—an ideology.