Yasemin Aydın*
The growing authoritarianism in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is sustained not only through legal and political tools but also through a profound transformation of the collective psychology of Turkish society. The Erdoğan regime has systematically weaponized a “politics of fear” to suppress dissent while simultaneously shrinking the political space available for opposition voices. Recent crackdowns on opposition figures in İstanbul, such as Ahmet Özer, mayor of the Esenyurt district, and Rıza Akpolat, the mayor of Beşiktaş, both from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), are stark examples of this strategy. Özer was arrested on terrorism-related charges in October and subsequently removed from office, while Akpolat was detained on Monday in a bid-rigging probe. However, these are not isolated legal proceedings or political maneuvers; they form part of a deliberate and systematic effort to deepen the climate of fear and render society inert.
Politics of fear and social transformation
Images of Akpolat being taken into custody in handcuffs are emblematic of the regime’s grip on the opposition. Yet perhaps more telling is the muted response from the leadership of the CHP. This lack of strong counteraction emboldens Erdoğan’s regime further, signaling that its fear-driven tactics are effective. This “fear strategy” operates not only to silence dissenting political leaders but also to suppress broader social reflexes that could challenge authoritarian consolidation. Each maneuver is calculated, gauging societal response— or the lack thereof — to inform subsequent steps.
The near-passivity of the CHP’s leadership appears less like resistance and more like submission. Tepid public statements and ineffective mobilization efforts from opposition leaders have inadvertently aided Erdoğan’s agenda of narrowing the political space. Perhaps most alarming is the limited public reaction to these events. In a nation that once saw mass mobilization during the anti-government Gezi Park protests in the summer of 2013, today’s public silence underscores the depth of the regime’s success in cultivating a paralyzing atmosphere of fear. This silence not only emboldens the regime but also accelerates the erosion of democratic values and institutions.
This politics of fear, however, is not just about controlling individual behavior; it also dismantles the bonds of solidarity within society. Drawing from US-German historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt’s insights into totalitarian regimes, fear becomes a systematic tool, transforming itself from a physical threat into a kind of “internal censorship.” As citizens observe the criminalization of opposition figures, the erosion of judicial independence and the subordination of justice to regime interests, many retreat into silence for self-preservation. The process fragments society by dissolving the communal networks necessary for collective resistance.
Turkey’s post-2013 “purge era” (Tenkil süreci) exemplifies how fear dissolves not only individual freedoms but also the social cohesion critical to democratic resilience. Erdoğan’s regime targets not just the CHP as an institution but also its social base, isolating supporters and discouraging political engagement. The operations against Özer and Akpolat in opposition strongholds like Beşiktaş and Esenyurt are part of a broader effort to dismantle the centers of opposition influence and render them politically inert.
Shrinking the political space: the destruction of opposition
The Erdoğan regime’s efforts to suppress dissent extend beyond legal persecution to a deliberate narrowing of the political space. This space is not merely physical or institutional but a societal platform where ideas, critique and solidarity find expression. By eroding this space, the regime strips the opposition of its tools for expression, organizing and public outreach.
This strategy becomes particularly visible in the targeted operations against CHP figures. Events like Akpolat’s detention serve as experimental “laboratories” for measuring and manipulating public reaction. Limited resistance emboldens the regime to escalate its actions. Figures like Ekrem İmamoğlu, the popular mayor of İstanbul, are likely next in line, with his potential arrest seen as a move to demoralize the opposition’s base and consolidate authoritarian control further.
The institutionalization of fear and the normalization of corruption
While weaponizing fear, Erdoğan’s regime has simultaneously normalized corruption, transforming it from a prosecutable offense into an entrenched feature of governance. Following the 2013 corruption investigations in which Erdoğan’s inner circle was implicated, corruption has ceased to be a liability for the regime, instead functioning as a mechanism for consolidating loyalty and power. Ironically, the same regime weaponizes accusations of corruption against opposition figures to delegitimize and neutralize them.
This dual use of corruption — as a tool of patronage for allies and a pretext for persecution of opponents — is emblematic of the regime’s manipulation of public perception. Allegations against opposition mayors are not mere legal claims but carefully engineered narratives designed to project a false legitimacy while obscuring the regime’s own entrenched corruption.
The trap of silence for society and the opposition
From an anthropological perspective, Erdoğan’s strategy of fear and political suppression risks suffocating the channels through which society expresses itself. Silence, in this context, is not simply the absence of reaction but a symptom of societal disintegration. Without collective resistance, fear becomes a self-reinforcing mechanism, allowing authoritarianism to take deeper root.
For the CHP and other opposition groups, breaking this cycle requires bold and collective action to counter the fear and reclaim the political space. Failure to do so will not only solidify the regime’s grip but also jeopardize the democratic future of Turkey. The muted response to Akpolat’s detention, if left unchecked, will likely embolden the regime to take even more drastic steps, further narrowing the space for dissent.
Fear as a tool of control
Erdoğan’s strategy of instilling fear while eroding political and social cohesion has proven devastatingly effective. By targeting key opposition figures and manipulating public perception through corruption allegations, the regime is systematically dismantling the pillars of democratic accountability. This process is not merely about individual persecution but about re-engineering society to accept silence as the default response to injustice.
Breaking free from this climate of fear requires more than sporadic resistance; it demands a coordinated effort by opposition leaders and civil society to rebuild trust, solidarity and courage. If such resistance does not materialize, Erdoğan’s regime will continue to escalate its authoritarian tactics, pushing Turkey further away from its democratic ideals.
*Yasemin Aydın is a social anthropologist and social psychologist in Germany.