Novinite is asking Turkish journalists and scholars to comment on the develomnents in the aftermath of a coup attempt in the night of Friday into Saturday that authorities say has been largely thwarted.

It was polarization itself that led the attempted coup d'etat in Turkey, and a violent outcome was in the making for some time, Sezin ?ney, a researcher based in the Political Science Department of Bilkent University in Ankara, and columnist for Taraf daily, has told Novinite.

"I was among those [who were saying] that things things in Turkey are not going well, and a coup might be one of the end results of complete erosion of democracy," Ms ?ney has said.

In her words, Turkey has become "more militarized in its political psyche" since the military operations began in a year or so."

"Step by step, the country has become like a pressure cooker left over fire since last June’s general elections - [Islamic State group] attacks, clashes between the security forces and the PKK, growing repression against the activists, opposition and journalists," she has pointed out.

"The trust in the state institutions; especially in the judicial realm was crumbling. So, something, some outcome that is violent was in the making and it was just a question of time when."

Ms ?ney has voiced her skepticism of possible involvement of US-based cleric Fethullah G?len - whom Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses of being behind the attempted coup. "I doubt that G?lenists have or had much power in the military. I think that the "coup ploter" is polarization itself. When you have so much polarization socially and politically in a country, you inevitably divide the state institutions. They become internally polarized and that leads to attempts of violent seizure of power."

Asked to comment on Erdogan's reference to the failed coup as "a gift of God", she has said it "will make Erdogan and his supporters even more powerful."

"Now, there is also a perfect excuse to conduct a witch hunt against any critical voices against the government. Just label them as "G?lenist" or as it is in the Turkish political jargon, "parallel state member, supporter or sympathizer” and those questioning it will be labeled as “coup plotters”.

On the repercussions the thwarted coup will have on the Turkish Armed Forces, she has predicted that "the military will face a massive purge."

“So far, the military had an internal mechanism that controlled promotions, who would get which rank; with some intervention from the civilians in the recent years-but it was the Army command structure that had the last say. But now, it is very possible that there will be a complete intervention that renders the Army in complete control of and loyalty to Erdo?an. Pretty much like the Police forces which acted in direct command structure below Erdo?an’s orders."

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