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Volume 2, Issue 1 (Spring & Summer 2025 2025)
Abstract
Despite efforts during Atatürk's era to diminish Islam’s influence in Turkey’s political sphere, political Islam has persisted as a significant force within the country's political system. Among the political parties, the Welfare Party and the Justice and Development Party are recognized as influential actors in shaping and redefining different interpretations of political Islam. Necmettin Erbakan and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as leaders of these parties, have worked to both preserve political Islam and articulate their respective visions of it within the social and political landscape. This study aims to comprehensively understand the differing perspectives on political Islam in Turkey by exploring the question: "what are the similarities and differences between the Welfare Party and the Justice and Development Party, as two key proponents of Islamism in Turkey, in their approaches to political Islam?" The findings reveal that both parties embrace political Islam as a central element of their ideology. They have sought to adapt to Turkey’s democratic and secular framework by avoiding violence and advocating for gradual political change. A key distinction is that the Welfare Party emphasized the comprehensive integration of religion into society, whereas the Justice and Development Party rejected this all-encompassing approach. Instead, the latter promotes a more liberal interpretation of political Islam, marking a departure from the traditional, more rigid political Islam espoused by the Welfare Party.