ABSTRACT
The Middle East has experienced significant upheavals ever since December 2010, when the Arab uprisings, which first began in Tunisia, challenged the long-entrenched authoritarian regimes in the region. When the uprising was in its full swing, there was an ongoing debate whether Turkey could be a role model for the Arab countries of the region undergoing a political and social transformation. Turkey shifted from the authoritarian single-party rule to a democratic multiparty system in 1950. During the Arab uprisings, there was a lively debate whether Turkey could be a model for the region undergoing a process of socio-political change. The military coup of 1960 put an end to the convergence of the Islamists and the Democratic Party by temporarily banning all political parties and activities in Turkey. During the military rule, the junta established a civilian cabinet and ruled Turkey with non-political technocrats38 who were mainly older bureaucrats, university professors, and retired high-ranking officers.
