Turkey lags behind Ottoman era in rule of law, professor says

Constitutional law professor Tolga Şirin has highlighted a significant decline in the rule of law in Turkey, stating that the country now lags behind even the late Ottoman period. Şirin shared data from the V-Dem Institute's rule of law index, which he claims shows Turkey's current score is historically concerning.

"According to the V-Dem index, Turkey is behind the III. Selim, II. Mahmut, and even the II. Abdülhamit periods in terms of the 'rule of law.' There has not been such a decline in the Republican era," Şirin stated on social media. A graph accompanying his post illustrates a volatile trend in Turkey's rule of law score since the early years of the Republic, with a particularly sharp downturn in recent times.

The V-Dem Institute is an international research organization that examines democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights in various countries. Its rule of law indicator assesses how well states and their leaders adhere to laws, the independence of courts from political pressure, and the protection of citizens' rights against public authority. Scores range from 0 to 1, with scores closer to 1 indicating a stronger rule of law and scores closer to 0 suggesting increasing issues with the predictable, impartial, and equal application of laws.

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According to the V-Dem index, Turkey is behind the III. Selim, II. Mahmut, and even the II. Abdülhamit periods in terms of the 'rule of law.' There has not been such a decline in the Republican era.