Chapter 8Greece, Turkey and Cyprus

Nathalie Tocci

Greece, Turkey and Cyprus

• From Ottoman Empire to Independence and Conflict

• Turkey’s Rocky Road to Democracy

• Domestic Politics and Institutions

• Foreign Policy in the Eastern Mediterranean

Introduction

• Greece, Turkey and Cyprus born out of the Ottoman Empire

• Rough paths to democracy

• Relations between the three, and with EU, are crucial to their external affairs

From Ottoman Empire to Independence and Conflict

• Greece establishes independence 1829• Greek military campaign 1920-2• Turkey emerged in 1923 out of the Greek-Turkish

War• Cyprus divides between Greece and Turkey• 1944-9 – Greek Civil War• 1960 – Cyprus becomes independent bi-communal

Republic (collapses 1963)• 1967-74 – Greek dictatorship• 1974 – Greek junta targets Cyprus, prompting own

downfall• 1975 – Hellenic Republic created

Turkey’s Rocky Road to Democracy

• Turkey created 1923 by Atatürk

• Kemalist vision:– western, stable, homogenous nation-state– Blend of westernization, secularism,

nationalism, statism, populism

• Challenges to Turkish state:– Kurdish separatism– Political Islam

Domestic Politics and Institutions: post-1974 Greece

• Parliamentary democracy

• Party system centred around New Democracy and PASOK

• Tradition of strong state, clientelism and weak civil society

• Reforms since late 1980s have created stable 2-party system, civil society and sub-state level government

Domestic Politics and Institutions: Republic of Turkey

• One-party system (Republican People’s Party (CHP)) until 1946

• Democrat Party (DP) legalised in 1946• Both Kemalist moderate parties• Turbulent development of party system, due

to periodic military rule and outlawing of parties

• Post-1961: Justice Party (ex-DP) vs. CHP• Post-1983: dominance of Motherland Party

(neo-liberal) emerges• 2002: AKP (Justice and Development Party)

(moderate Islam) vs. CHP

Domestic Politics and Institutions: Greek Cyprus

• Presidential executive

• All parties committed to reunification, repatriation and Turkish withdrawal

• Divide between Greek Cypriot nationalists and Cypriot nationalists

Domestic Politics and Institutions: Turkish Cyprus

• Semi-presidential executive

• Political unity around call for political equality with Greek Cypriots, autonomy for Turkish Cypriots, continued role for Turkey

• Divide between nationalists and centre-left/liberals

Foreign Policy in the Eastern Mediterranean

• Since 1975 Greek foreign policy has changed dramatically

• Turkey has close, but problematic, ties with West and Europe

• North-South conflict is key factor in Cypriot foreign policy in both communities