The politics of hate – a weekly news review

Turkish ethnic nationalism has been a core belief of the Turkish Republic throughout its century-old existence. It has increasingly been defined against a Kurdish “other” that refuses to deny Kurdishness and assimilate into a monolithic Turkish identity. Since Erdoğan ended peace talks with the PKK and, following the 2015 election, was forced to rely on the support of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), he has increasingly used populist politics of prejudice and hatred to build and energise his support. As election day approaches the populist rhetoric from Erdogan and from leading figures in his People’s Alliance has descended to a new level.