The geopolitical and strategic importance of the Republic of Turkey – established in 1923 by its founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk – to the European Union, America, Russia, the Middle East, and Asia is undeniable. Being a central meeting point of the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa via the Mediterranean, and its membership of NATO, the Council of Europe, and its current accession talks with the European Union has meant that Turkey has become a significantly important partner for many states around the world.
According to the Turkish constitution, the word Turk, as a political term, includes all citizens of the Republic of Turkey without distinction of or reference to race or religion. Although more than nine-tenths of the population identify their religious identity as Muslim, Turkey is nonetheless a secular country. Certainly, in 1928 Islam was removed as the official state religion and since then, the military has maintained a vigilant watch over Turkey’s political secularism.
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