The Center, Left, and Right in Turkish/Greek/Italian Politics :: Politics Political Italy Turkey Greece Papers

The Center, Left, and Right in Turkish/Greek/Italian Politics The politics of the countries of Turkey, Greece and Italy are fairly diverse in relation to each other, as well as within themselves. The political parties of each country are also many in number and varied in nature. In this essay, I will provide a brief overview of the government of each country Turkey, Greece and Italy followed by an examination of the current political parties that exist in each of those countries, looking especially at where the left, center, and right fall with respect to each country. An overview of the politics of Turkey Turkey gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1923, but it did not formally draft a constitution until 1982, when it initiated a four-branch government. Currently, Turkey's government is composed of a President, who is elected every seven years and serves as the executive branch; a unicameral (one-house) legislative branch; a Grand National Assembly composed of 450 members; a Prime Minister, who functions similarly to the Vice President in the U.S.; and a judicial branch that is independent of the governmental structure. Turkey is a democratic and, more importantly, a secular state, despite the prevalence of Islam. The current President of Turkey is Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and the current Prime Minister is Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Political parties in Turkey As of 1996, there are currently 22 registered political parties in Turkey, most of which are small. The main parties that make up the political center are the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP), both of which swing more toward the right; and the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Democratic Left (DSP), both of which swing more toward the left, despite the contrary nature of their names. To the far right is the National Action Party (MHP), an ultra-nationalist party. ?The ANAP party was founded in 1983 and governed Turkey from 1983 to 1991, though as of the 2002 election, its representation was much less, especially in Parliament.[1]? In the 1980s, however, it was the ANAP party that instituted many important transformations in Turkey, including "introducing free-market reforms, downsizing the public sector," and it was under this party that Turkey "applied formally to join the European Economic Commission" (EEC then, more like the current EU).[2]? Like the ANAP, the DYP was also formed in 1983, and is a conservative party that "draws support from the countryside. The Center, Left, and Right in Turkish/Greek/Italian Politics :: Politics Political Italy Turkey Greece Papers The Center, Left, and Right in Turkish/Greek/Italian Politics The politics of the countries of Turkey, Greece and Italy are fairly diverse in relation to each other, as well as within themselves. The political parties of each country are also many in number and varied in nature. In this essay, I will provide a brief overview of the government of each country Turkey, Greece and Italy followed by an examination of the current political parties that exist in each of those countries, looking especially at where the left, center, and right fall with respect to each country. An overview of the politics of Turkey Turkey gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1923, but it did not formally draft a constitution until 1982, when it initiated a four-branch government. Currently, Turkey's government is composed of a President, who is elected every seven years and serves as the executive branch; a unicameral (one-house) legislative branch; a Grand National Assembly composed of 450 members; a Prime Minister, who functions similarly to the Vice President in the U.S.; and a judicial branch that is independent of the governmental structure. Turkey is a democratic and, more importantly, a secular state, despite the prevalence of Islam. The current President of Turkey is Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and the current Prime Minister is Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Political parties in Turkey As of 1996, there are currently 22 registered political parties in Turkey, most of which are small. The main parties that make up the political center are the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP), both of which swing more toward the right; and the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Democratic Left (DSP), both of which swing more toward the left, despite the contrary nature of their names. To the far right is the National Action Party (MHP), an ultra-nationalist party. ?The ANAP party was founded in 1983 and governed Turkey from 1983 to 1991, though as of the 2002 election, its representation was much less, especially in Parliament.[1]? In the 1980s, however, it was the ANAP party that instituted many important transformations in Turkey, including "introducing free-market reforms, downsizing the public sector," and it was under this party that Turkey "applied formally to join the European Economic Commission" (EEC then, more like the current EU).[2]? Like the ANAP, the DYP was also formed in 1983, and is a conservative party that "draws support from the countryside.