Turkey to end draft — for those who can pay
A proposed bill to change Turkey's conscription practices has stirred fierce debate and warnings from military experts.
Change is coming to the Turkish military, and not necessarily for the better.
The government is reexamining the structure of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the wake of the failed 2016 coup. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is introducing major changes to the law that regulates compulsory military service.
The law has been in place since 1927. Since then it has undergone mostly cosmetic changes on service duration and payment, as required by changing circumstances. In Turkey, conscription is taken seriously by the state and the people, and military law is considered one of the fundamental, immutable laws of the country.
The law was set to undergo some important changes before the March 31 local elections, but their enactment was delayed for undisclosed reasons. As the matter concerns millions of people, all eyes have been on the process.
