The rise of the entrepreneurial party: rapid party proliferation and political entrepreneurship in post-2017 Turkey
Turkish Studies, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1080/14683849.2026.2695968
- Journal Name: Turkish Studies
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, MLA International Bibliography, Political Science Abstract (IPSA), Social Sciences Abstracts, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Keywords: entrepreneurial party model, party typologies, Political parties, small parties, Turkish party system
- Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
This study investigates the rise of the Entrepreneurial Party in Turkey following the 2017 transition to the Presidential Government System. Based on 20 interviews, it shows how the 50%+1 electoral threshold and leaders' status-seeking drive this transformation. Unlike Western corporate models, Turkey's leader-centric approach exploits the ‘1 equals 50' logic. Minor parties target niche constituencies to act as electoral ‘kingmakers’ instead of maximizing overall vote shares. Consequently, politics shifts from collective governance toward a bargaining framework, where parties prioritize institutional survival and systemic advantages through strategic positioning within broader political alliances.