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Journals / İnsan ve Toplum / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2

Party System Institutionalization in Türkiye: An Evaluation at the Electoral Level (1983-2015)

Türk Parti Sisteminde Kurumsallaşma: Seçimsel Düzlemde Bir Değerlendirme (1983-2015)

Nebi Miş(SAKARYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-3257-5768
Fikret Topal(Aydın Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi)0000-0001-7579-0017
Pages
1–36
Publication Date
2026-06-09
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that the institutionalization of the Turkish party system increased after 2002, with most volatility occurring among actors within the system.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study examines the concept of party system institutionalization, which serves as a key indicator for understanding the quality of modern democracies and has become a prominent topic within the party system literature, through the case of Türkiye.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Accordingly, this research aims to analyze the level of institutionalization in the Turkish party system between 1983 and 2015 based on electoral volatility as an indicator.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that the institutionalization of the Turkish party system increased after 2002, with most volatility occurring among actors within the system.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2015 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Türk Parti Sistemi · Parti Sisteminin Kurumsallaşması · İstikrar

Abstract

This study examines the concept of party system institutionalization, which serves as a key indicator for understanding the quality of modern democracies and has become a prominent topic within the party system literature, through the case of Türkiye. The literature generally assumes that highly institutionalized party systems strengthen democratic stability, whereas weak institutionalization produces adverse outcomes. However, no universally accepted method exists for assessing the institutionalization of party systems. Accordingly, this research aims to analyze the level of institutionalization in the Turkish party system between 1983 and 2015 based on electoral volatility as an indicator. The study focuses on elections held under the parliamentary system after the 1980 military coup and applies a disaggregated measure of electoral volatility, distinguishing between within-system and extra-system volatility, as well as other subcategories capturing different forms of electoral change, which allows for a clearer understanding of the nature of volatility. The findings reveal that the institutionalization of the Turkish party system increased after 2002, with most volatility occurring among actors within the system. The entry of extra-system actors has remained limited. The study provides an empirical contribution to the literature on party system institutionalization in Türkiye.

Özet

Bu çalışma modern demokrasilerin niteliğini anlamada önemli bir gösterge olan ve parti sistemi literatüründe yaygın bir çalışma alanı bulan kurumsallaşma kavramını Türkiye örneği üzerinden incelemektedir. Literatürde, yüksek düzeyde kurumsallaşmış parti sistemlerinin demokratik istikrarı güçlendirdiği, düşük kurumsallaşmanın ise olumsuz sonuçlar doğurduğu kabul edilmektedir. Ancak parti sisteminin kurumsallaşmasının göstergesi noktasında standart bir yöntem bulunmamaktadır. Bu doğrultuda araştırmanın amacı, Türk parti sisteminin 1983–2015 dönemindeki kurumsallaşma düzeyini seçimsel oynaklık göstergesi aracılığıyla analiz etmektir. Çalışmada 12 Eylül sonrasındaki parlamenter hükümet sistemi altında gerçekleşen seçimler merkeze alınmış ve seçimsel oynaklık göstergesi sistem içi, sistem dışı ve diğer oynaklıklar altında alt tiplere ayrılarak oynaklığın niteliği daha belirgin hale getirilmiştir. Bulgular, 2002 sonrasında parti sistemi kurumsallaşmasının arttığını ve oynaklığın büyük ölçüde sistem içi aktörler arasında gerçekleştiğini göstermektedir. Sistem dışı aktörlerin parti sistemine girişi ise oldukça sınırlı kalmıştır. Çalışma, Türkiye’de parti sisteminin kurumsallaşma düzeyine ilişkin literatüre ampirik bir katkı sunmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Miş, N., Topal, F. (2026). Party System Institutionalization in Türkiye: An Evaluation at the Electoral Level (1983-2015). İnsan ve Toplum, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.12658/M0792

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