ABSTRACT
The world has undergone hard times since December 31, when there was the very first confirmed case of COVID-19 and governments have tried to give a good account of themselves since then. Turkey acted in a proactive manner from the very beginning until March 11, when the first coronavirus case affirmed in Turkey. After the first confirmed case, the process has been complicated with both proactive and reactive actions. In this chapter, the governance and rhetoric of Turkey, during the COVID-19 crisis from December 31 to June 28, is analysed. The chronology of COVID-19 for Turkey is discussed in three phases: the emergence of COVID-19 when precautions were implemented, the phase after the first case in Turkey was diagnosed and the process of normalisation. Then, political rhetoric, Turkey’s strengths and contradictions in the process of crisis are discussed. This chapter aims to understand the use of rhetoric in times of crisis and actions and in particular the struggle against COVID-19.
