ISTANBUL—What began last month as a protest against a controversial administrative appointment at one of Turkey’s most prestigious universities has quickly spiraled into police violence, arrests—and a serious threat to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime. Students at Bogazici University are pushing back against Erdogan’s intrusion on campus but also connecting their plight to the overall disintegration of democratic norms in the country.
Since the 2016 failed coup attempt, Erdogan’s increasing number of appointments of a kayyum, or trustee, to municipalities and companies across the country challenge alternative sources of influence. Students liken Melih Bulu, the newly appointed rector of Bogazici University, to a government kayyum. “If even one kayyum can be fought against, then all kayyums can be fought against,” student and protester Berkehan Davran said.
