İYİ Party nationalism, 2017-2024

Abstract

This thesis examines the political position of the İYİ Party, with a particular focus on its nationalism. It first covers the political trajectory of the party from its establishment in 2017 to the end of its founding leader, Meral Akşener’s tenure in 2024, and addresses the discussions surrounding its ideological stance during this period. Then, through semi-structured interviews with ten party elites conducted in April 2024, supplemented by party documents and official statements, this research examines how these elites perceive their party’s position at the end of its founding phase. Based on this, the thesis explores where the İYİ Party can be located within the broader context of nationalist ideology in Turkey and argues that, despite frequent comparisons with the MHP, the İYİ Party aligns with official nationalism and upholds the Republican legacy in opposition to the ‘destructive’ Islamist authoritarianism of the AK Party over the past two decades. Their adherence to official nationalist ideology is evident across various policy areas, serving both as a source of moderation and as a basis for fear and suspicion towards minorities, external powers, their perceived internal agents, and refugees—driven by the party’s fixation on cultural unity and territorial integrity, which is itself rooted in official nationalism. Even in its seemingly progressive stance on women's rights, the İYİ Party reveals a complex interplay of progressive and traditional views. Overall, these dilemmas and contradictions in the party’s nationalist ideology continue to raise questions about its democratic and moderate image.