Discourses of Turkish Opposition Parties towards Syrian Refugees: Securitization and Repatriation

Abstract

3.6 million Syrian refugees who were forced to move to Turkey since the initiation of the civil war in Syria in 2011 have had a significant impact on Turkish politics. While the governing Justice and Development Party has fluctuated between religiously-based humanitarianism and securitization discourses, opposition parties have prioritized the issue in response to growing public discontent. Focusing on the recent repatriation debate, this article analyzes the attitudes and discourses of opposition parties towards the Syrian refugees. By drawing on the Copenhagen School securitization theory, the study examines the discourses of four opposition parties under the dimensions of economy, culture and security. The article concludes that while Republican People’s Party, Good Party and Victory Party securitize the issue to varying degrees, Peoples’ Democratic Party does not.