The Impact of EU-Driven Reforms on the Political Autonomy of the Turkish Military

Turkish civil–military relations entered a new phase starting with the first European-Union-induced reforms in 1999, and have gained a new momentum since 2007. This article first introduces the amendments to Turkish civil–military relations, then asks how much the constitutional and legal amendments have affected the political autonomy of the military. The article takes the indicators of military autonomy into consideration as a whole and argues that legal amendments have not introduced any changes to one-third of the military prerogatives. In those areas where some adjustments have been made, either more reforms must follow or democratic practices must endure the test of time.