On March 31, 2024, the opposition achieved a significant victory in the municipal elections, challenging the authoritarian regime led by President Erdoğan and his allies in Turkey. These compelling results have sparked renewed hope among observers and the democratic public both in Turkey and abroad, fostering expectations for the restoration of the rule of law, the revitalization of democratic institutions, and the mitigation of polarization. This panel aims to critically assess the potential for democratization in Turkey, examining both the possibilities and limitations, while also analyzing the authoritarian nature of Turkey's regime in current geopolitical contexts.

Ayça Alemdaroğlu, the Associate Director of the CDDRL’s Program on Turkey will discuss the possibilities of democratic revival in Turkey in the aftermath of the March 31 Municipal Elections with Yektan Turkyilmaz, International Visitor at Stanford Humanities Center, and Ali Yaycıoğlu, Associate Professor of History.