Immigration Debates in Recent Turkish Politics and the Victory Party as an Example of an Anti-Immigrant Niche Party

Ahmet Ceylan; İsa Uslu; Leman İncedere

Makale detayları

Immigration Debates in Recent Turkish Politics and the Victory Party as an Example of an Anti-Immigrant Niche Party

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Ceylan | İsa Uslu | Leman İncedere

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Dergi:

Yakın Dönem Türkiye Araştırmaları Issue 47, pp.50-71

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001355977

pISSN:

1304-9720

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Between 1923 and 1990, Türkiye primarily accepted migrants of Turkic descent and cultural background. Since 1990, however, Türkiye has become both a destination and transit country for asylum seekers and irregular migrants from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The asylum-driven migration from Syria has become a major topic of political debate in Turkish general elections since 2015. Founded in 2021, the Victory Party Zafer Partisi became the first political party in Türkiye to explicitly foreground anti-immigration policies and had a relatively tangible impact on the outcome of the 2023 general elections through the alliances it formed. This study analyzes the Victory Partys anti-immigration policy proposals within the broader context of recent Turkish political history. It argues that the partys anti-immigration discourse is structured around four main pillars: 1 the social position of the actor employing securitizing rhetoric; 2 the place of the perceived threat in historical memory; 3 prevailing economic conditions; and 4 the transformation of the electoral system. The analysis of the Victory Partys policies is based on thematic evaluations of party documents, including its program, parliamentary questions, election manifesto, and internal reports. The study contributes to the understanding of how niche parties articulate security-centered narratives and mobilize social discontent around immigration in contemporary Turkish politics.

 Between 1923 and 1990, Türkiye primarily accepted migrants of Turkic descent and cultural background. Since 1990, however, Türkiye has become both a destination and transit country for asylum seekers and irregular migrants from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The asylum-driven migration from Syria has become a major topic of political debate in Turkish general elections since 2015. Founded in 2021, the Victory Party Zafer Partisi became the first political party in Türkiye to explicitly foreground anti-immigration policies and had a relatively tangible impact on the outcome of the 2023 general elections through the alliances it formed. This study analyzes the Victory Partys anti-immigration policy proposals within the broader context of recent Turkish political history. It argues that the partys anti-immigration discourse is structured around four main pillars: 1 the social position of the actor employing securitizing rhetoric; 2 the place of the perceived threat in historical memory; 3 prevailing economic conditions; and 4 the transformation of the electoral system. The analysis of the Victory Partys policies is based on thematic evaluations of party documents, including its program, parliamentary questions, election manifesto, and internal reports. The study contributes to the understanding of how niche parties articulate security-centered narratives and mobilize social discontent around immigration in contemporary Turkish politics.

 Between 1923 and 1990, Türkiye primarily accepted migrants of Turkic descent and cultural background. Since 1990, however, Türkiye has become both a destination and transit country for asylum seekers and irregular migrants from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The asylum-driven migration from Syria has become a major topic of political debate in Turkish general elections since 2015. Founded in 2021, the Victory Party Zafer Partisi became the first political party in Türkiye to explicitly foreground anti-immigration policies and had a relatively tangible impact on the outcome of the 2023 general elections through the alliances it formed. This study analyzes the Victory Partys anti-immigration policy proposals within the broader context of recent Turkish political history. It argues that the partys anti-immigration discourse is structured around four main pillars: 1 the social position of the actor employing securitizing rhetoric; 2 the place of the perceived threat in historical memory; 3 prevailing economic conditions; and 4 the transformation of the electoral system. The analysis of the Victory Partys policies is based on thematic evaluations of party documents, including its program, parliamentary questions, election manifesto, and internal reports. The study contributes to the understanding of how niche parties articulate security-centered narratives and mobilize social discontent around immigration in contemporary Turkish politics.

 Türkiye, 1923-1990 yılları arasında ağırlıklı olarak Türk soy ve kültüründen göçmenleri kabul etmiştir. Türkiye 1990 yılından bu yana Orta Doğu, Asya ve Afrikadan gelen sığınmacılar ve düzensiz göçmenler için hedef ve transit ülke olmuştur. Suriye kökenli sığınma motivasyonlu göç hareketi ise 2015ten bu yana Türkiyedeki genel seçimlerde önemli bir tartışma konusudur. Göç karşıtı politikalarıyla 2021 yılında kurulan ve 2023 genel seçimlerinde geliştirdiği ittifaklarla sonuç üzerinde nispi bir etki sahibi olan Zafer Partisi, ülkede doğrudan göç karşıtı politikalarla öne çıkan ilk partidir. Bu çalışma, Zafer Partisinin göç karşıtı politika önerilerini, yakın dönem Türkiye tarihinden hareketle analiz etmektedir. Çalışmada, partinin göç karşıtı politikalarının dört temel üzerine kurulu olduğu savunulmaktadır: Güvenlikleştirici söylemleri kullanan aktörün toplumsal konumu, tehdidin tarihsel bellekteki yeri, ekonomik koşullar ve değişen seçim sistemi. Zafer Partisinin politikalarının analizi; parti programı, soru önergeleri, seçim beyannamesi ve parti raporları gibi belge ve veri kaynaklarının tematik analizine dayanmaktadır.

Makale detayları

Immigration Debates in Recent Turkish Politics and the Victory Party as an Example of an Anti-Immigrant Niche Party

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Ceylan | İsa Uslu | Leman İncedere

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Dergi:

Yakın Dönem Türkiye Araştırmaları Issue 47, pp.50-71

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001355977

pISSN:

1304-9720

Migration

Single-Issue Party

Securitization

Syrians in Türkiye

Victory PartyGöç

Tek Sorun Partisi

Güvenlikleştirme

Türkiye’deki Suriyeliler

Zafer Partisi

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Ahmet Ceylan | İsa Uslu | Leman İncedere

Yayıncı: Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar: Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Dergi: Yakın Dönem Türkiye Araştırmaları Issue 47, pp.50-71

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001355977

pISSN: 1304-9720

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Ceylan | İsa Uslu | Leman İncedere

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Dergi:

Yakın Dönem Türkiye Araştırmaları Issue 47, pp.50-71

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001355977

pISSN:

1304-9720