Understanding the Youth in Turkey: Democracy and Political Values

Institute:

CORE Research Institute

Project members:

Ulaş Tol, Institute Director, CORE Research Institute
Pınar Gürer, Communications Director, CORE Research Institute
Özge Genç, Visiting Fellow, Middle East Council on Global Affairs
Mesut Yeğen, Consultant

Project Duration: Sep 2024 – Oct 2025

Contact:

Ulaş Tol, email: ulastol@core.org.tr
Pınar Gürer, email: pinargurer@core.org.tr
 

Under growing political and social pressure, Turkey had seen a significant shift towards nationalism and authoritarianism, which in turn had shaped youth perspectives and attitudes. These young people were navigating a complex landscape where identities outside of Turkishness, Sunni Islam and traditional social norms were marginalised. Rising authoritarian narratives and economic hardships had led to both disillusionment and adaptation among Turkish youth, making them both an opportunity and a challenge for democratic values.

This project explored how political and ideological influences shaped youth values, how young people viewed democracy, and whether their stances were flexible or rigid across various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. As nationalist, conservative and authoritarian narratives became more dominant, youth responses to these shifts held important implications for Turkey’s future direction.

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