Political Projections of the February 6 Earthquake in Türkiye in the Context of Political Competition and Political Polarization

Authors : Fatih Ertugay

Pages : 361-386

Doi:10.19060/gav.1838136

View : 239 | Download : 664

Publication Date : 2025-12-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The healthy functioning of democracy relies on the healthy functioning of political competition. In Türkiye, one of the most significant challenges faced by democracy is that political competition has deviated from its normal democratic boundaries. Due to the increase in political polarization, political competition has become harsh and confrontational. This confrontational and harsh characteristic also manifested itself in the political debates in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in February 2023. On February 6, 2023, Türkiye was shaken by a dramatic earthquake that struck several large settlements. Naturally, an event that caused such widespread damage and suffering swiftly became a prominent topic on the political agenda. The objective of this article is to analyze the post-earthquake attitudes of political actors, certain social media developments, and the ongoing election process, through their interrelationships and the fine line between political competition and political polarization. The main motivation of the study is to uncover the appearance and consequences of political polarization during extreme events, focusing on the context of the February 6 earthquake.
Keywords : Politik rekabet, politik kutuplaşma, politik rant, 6 Şubat 2023 Türkiye depremi.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL