Is AK Party 'neo-Kemalist'?

Some analysts argue that the AK Party has moved away from its reformist base. Their assertions might be based on the party being in office for 10 years, their perception of Erdogan underlining his Muslim identity or their sense of befuddlement about an out-of-the box approach towards foreign policy.

They purport that the party is becoming neo-Kemalist when the reality is quite different from the Kemalist attitudes towards separatists as well as their harsh treatment of non-Muslims and Kurds. Therefore, they claim the AK Party has immersed itself in 'ancien régime' ways since 2011. To test this claim, it is necessary to examine the reforms the AK Party has engaged in since 2011: Around 3 billion dollars of real estate has been returned to the minority communities that were robbed of their goods during the Kemalist regime.

Additionally, they have worked to ensure that the remaining assets will gradually be restituted as court cases finalize. Two cases of restitution in particular exemplify the change in the handling of minority affairs: The lands returned to the Mor Gabriel Monastery, this monastery is considered the Jerusalem of Assyrians. And the 42,259 square meters returned to the Surp Pirgic Armenian Hospital Foundation.

Additionally in the beginning of 2014, deported Greek citizens known as the Rums, who were born in Turkey and lost their Turkish citizenship upon forced migration to Greece, were granted the opportunity to reclaim their rights. Again, since 2011, a significant separatist ideology towards women caused by the headscarf controversy has been substantially eliminated. Women who wear headscarves have now claimed their places in schools, the parliament and in the public sphere.

The greatest reformist initiative of the past couple of years has undoubtedly been the debates about Kurdish rights and the peace negotiations with the PKK. Some of the rights granted since 2011 are as following: The right to self-defense in native language, the right to education in native language in private schools, the right to use letters from the Kurdish alphabet, and the expansion of the scope for governmental support for political parties. In the election manifesto published last week, it was promised that AK Party would completely remove the reservations of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The changes are expected to be implemented soon after the elections.

Moreover, many symbolic steps have been taken, such as the decision to name Sirnak Airport Serafettin Elci, which has been the first time a Turkish Prime Minister has uttered the word "Kurdistan".

While these historical injustices are being amended by AK Party, the main oppositional party, CHP, slurred nationalist paranoid statements such as ''self defense in native language will separate the country", while MPH was accusing the government of "treason". Of course, the reform that required most courage was the official announcement of peace negotiations with the PKK leader. Ocalan was granted the equivalent title of a political actor, and regular visitation rights for BDP MP's was made possible.

For the first time in 15 years, Ocalan's pictures were published, and it is being said that the possibility of a journalist group visitation is on the negotiation table. More importantly, the Kurdish issue has been normalized into being a topic of conversation among people, and peace negotiations have become legitimized. There are also other issues, such as the recognition of individual application rights in the constitutional court and the removal of article 35 in the Turkish Armed Forces Inner Service Act, which ensures legal constitution towards military coups.

There are undoubtedly imperfections and faults regarding Prime Minister Erdogan and the AK Party government. However, when keeping this reform list in mind, it becomes obvious that this party is not near the definition of neo-Kemalism, as well as the fact that there are no other alternative parties to carry the country further in its path of democratic consolidation.