1. Autocratic Survival and Securitization

Authoritarianism is complex and involves multiple strategies and actors. However, one of the most important drives of authoritarianism is survival of the incumbent regimes. To ensure this survival, among many other tools, authoritarian regimes employ securitization, which legitimizes their use of any means necessary to vilify a constructed enemy. This is the case of Turkey, whose authoritarian regime under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AKP (Justice and Development Party) needs to constantly produce securitization environments to ensure its survival. What makes Turkey an important case is the way it securitized, de-securitized, and re-securitized the same group(s) depending on its needs, to further the power grip, eliminate political threats, and ensure its survival.