Politics of Favoritism in Public Procurement in Turkey : Reconfigurations of Dependency Networks in the AKP Era

This book, through an analysis of 49,355 high value public procurement contracts awarded between 2004 and 2011, provides systematic evidence on favoritism in public procurement in Turkey. Public procurement is one of the main areas where the government and the private sector interact extensively and is thus open to favoritism and corruption. In Turkey, the new Public Procurement Law, which was drafted with the pull of the EU-IMF-WB nexus, has been amended more than 150 times by the AKP government. In addition to examining favoritism, this book also demonstrates how the legal amendments have increased the use of less competitive procurement methods and discretion in awarding contracts. The results reveal that the AKP majority government has used public procurement as an influential tool both to increase its electoral success, build its own elites and finance politics. The use of public procurement for rent creation and distribution is found to be particularly extensive in the construction and the services sector through the TOKİ projects and the Municipal procurements. This Book Provides Substantiation To Claims Of Favoritism In Public Procurement In Turkey In The Twenty-first Century. Through An Analysis Of Nearly Fifty Thousand High Value Contracts Between 2004 And 2011, The Study Indicates That The Akp Majority Government Has Used Public Procurement As An Influential Tool To Increase Its Electoral Success, Build Its Own Elites, And Finance Politics. The Use Of Public Procurement For Rent Creation And Distribution Is Found To Be Particularly Extensive In The Construction And Services Sectors-namely In The Tokİ Projects And Municipal Procurements. In Addition, This Book Demonstrates How The More Than 150 Legal Amendments To The New Public Procurement Law In Turkey, Drafted With The Pull Of The European Union-international Monetary Fund-world Bank Nexus, Have Increased The Use Of Less Competitive Procurement Methods And Discretion In Awarding Contracts. Relying On Empirical Research, This Timely Book Provides Careful, Quantitative Analysis Of Datasets In Its Contentions Of Favoritism In Turkey's Public Procurement Process--back Cover. Politics Of Government-business Relations In Turkey : Deep-rooted Structures And New Tensions -- Political Economy Of Reform And Retrogression In The Public Procurement System : Third Party Enforcement Versus The Political Settlement In Turkey -- Redistribution Or Crony Capitalism? : Favoritism In Public Procurement Contract Award Processes. Esra Çeviker Gürakar. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 111-121) And Index. This book provides substantiation to claims of favoritism in public procurement in Turkey in the twenty-first century. Through an analysis of nearly fifty thousand high value contracts between 2004 and 2011, the study indicates that the AKP majority government has used public procurement as an influential tool to increase its electoral success, build its own elites, and finance politics. The use of public procurement for rent creation and distribution is found to be particularly extensive in the construction and services sectors-namely in the TOK ̇I projects and municipal procurements. In addition, this book demonstrates how the more than 150 legal amendments to the new Public Procurement Law in Turkey, drafted with the pull of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-World Bank nexus, have increased the use of less competitive procurement methods and discretion in awarding contracts. Relying on empirical research, this timely book provides careful, quantitative analysis of datasets in its contentions of favoritism in Turkey's public procurement process"--Back cover Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction and Overview....Pages 1-11 Politics of Government–Business Relations in Turkey: Deep-Rooted Structures and New Tensions....Pages 13-21 Political Economy of Reform and Retrogression in the Public Procurement System: Third Party Enforcement Versus the Political Settlement in Turkey....Pages 23-66 Redistribution or Crony Capitalism? Favoritism in Public Procurement Contract Award Processes....Pages 67-106 Conclusion....Pages 107-110 Back Matter....Pages 111-127