Carl Bildt urges EU leaders to take Turkey "seriously," as the country is "at a historical crossroads." He says Europe's "attitude toward Turkey matters," because it has an impact on where it is headed. "What happens on the Bosphorus affects us all," and it will be at Europe's interest not to let the country plunge further into "polarization and authoritarianism." He believes that "a democratic and European Turkey could be a bridge to deliver reform and modernity to the Muslim world; an alienated and authoritarian Turkey could bring conflict and strife back to Europe’s eastern borderlands."

The author points out that Istanbul "has been an epicenter of the relationship between the geopolitical West and East," and that it "will most likely continue to play that role, given the current importance of mostly Christian Europe’s relationship with the wider Muslim world." But Istanbul today is merely Turkey's cultural capital, while politics are being shaped in Ankara. No doubt "Turkish political life has often been tumultuous, marked by competing visions and aspirations, successes and setbacks." And even if "reformers seeking to modernize Turkey have looked to Europe for inspiration" in the "last two centuries," they see Europe merely as a philantropist.

It is true that Turkey's first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk modeled his country on Western patterns, establishing a democracy. He saw Europe as progressive, and believed that a pro-Europe policy would be advantageous. He "pushed through authoritarian reforms in the 1920s and 1930s to secularize the country." While Erdogan's supporters say that he and his AK party had addressed the long line of injustices than any government since the foundation of the Turkish republic had done, critics maintain he is reversing the progress Turkey had made. Indeed, the two leaders are quite opposing figures: a contrast between the moderniser and the reactionary, the pro-Western secularist and the anti-Western Islamist. Erdogan had been critical of Europe even before the civil war in Syria broke out. His "economic transformation" and moving closer to "eligibility for eventual EU membership" was motivated by realpolitik - Turkey would be better off in the Union.

That "much changed in the last few years" is partly Erdogan's fault. "Turkey’s accession talks with the EU have ground almost to a halt, owing partly to outright hostility against Turkey in some EU member states." But Bildt blames Europe for it, saying "the overall effect has been to alienate many Turks, who now feel rejected by a Europe that once inspired them. Not surprisingly, some Turks now look for inspiration and opportunities elsewhere." It's true that civil war in Syria and the conflict in Iraq had taken a heavy toll on Turkey, polarising its society. It feels threatened by Kurdish militant groups and ISIS suicide bombers. That it "has still managed to host up to three million refugees" is praiseworthy.

But, as outsiders we will be well-advised not to take side in this "destructive silent civil war between the AKP and its former allies in the Gülenist movement, an Islamic community nominally led by the exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen." Both warring parties had sought to rid Turkey of the Kemalist “deep state” within the army. Since then "this silent civil war has significantly degraded the country’s democratic development, with the elected government resorting to more authoritarian measures to respond to the perceived threat of Gülenist subversion." Bildt is basically exonerating Erdogan's purge of real and perceived enemies. Can he justify Turkey's prosecution of journalists and activists, critical of Erdoan's politics? What does he think of Erdogan's squandering $615 million of taxpayers' money for building the 1,000-room palace? It is true that Turkey may have "descended into open civil war" had the coup succeeded, given the volatile situation on the ground, but certainly not "with all hope for democracy extinguished." Turkey is an illiberal democracy, with an Islamist population imposing their values and views on the rest of the country. It is true that many of Erdogan's critics condemned the coup and joined the pro-Erdogan unity rally last week, because they still hope to unseat him at the ballot box.