Turkey's economy has weathered some spectacular pratfalls in the past, with a major economic crisis in 2001 almost bringing the country to its knees. What's different in 2004 from the previous "recoveries" is how committed Turkey is to establishing firm economic footing once and for all. The government is swallowing the International Monetary Fund's painful economic medicine, making tough choices for fiscal discipline.
Turkey's financial wunderkind, the 37-year old Minister of State for Treasury Ali Babacan credits a strong, popular and unified government with having both the clout in Ankara and the backing of the people to administer badly-needed shock therapy.
"During the last decade, stability has been a problem," Babacan concedes. "We had coalition governments and [frequent] early elections.
"But after the 2002 elections," which ushered his faintly Islamic yet pro-Western Justice and Development Party to power under Prime Minister R. Tayyip Erdogan, "we have a stable government, one the people have confidence in, which provides a much-needed base for economic recovery."
Erdogan came to Ankara under heavy suspicion due to his past in radical Islamist politics. But as mayor of ungovernable Istanbul he won grudging praise from political opponents for his hard work on civic issues and muted Islamic rhetoric. As Prime Minister he has focused on bread-and-butter issues, leading with gusto the country's drive to join the European Union.
Indeed, the JDP's acceptance of fiscal reform and pro-EU stance has rebuilt confidence in Turkey's ability to manage its finances once the IMF decamps. "Our economic program was declared in detail before the election," Babacan, a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management notes. "We're doing what we ...