THE ECONOMY OF REASSURANCE
At Istanbul Airport, one can sometimes see the new Turkish economy walking past in surgical bands. Men arrive with thinning hair and leave with careful instructions, swollen foreheads and a cautious sense of restoration.
Analysis
In-Depth Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
CRITICAL MILESTONE FOR AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES
Turkey's first indigenous air-to-air missiles will be deployed on F-16 and Kaan fighter jets, as well as the Akıncı UCAVs and Kızılelma UFAs.
DOOR OPENS TO DEFENSE COOPERATION WITH JAPAN
The Japanese side is taking an interest in the UAVs developed by Turkey, while Turkey is eyeing the technology behind the mine countermeasures ships built by Japan.
ÖZEL HAS THE CROWD, KILIÇDAROĞLU HOLDS THE SEAL, THE EXIT IS ANYONE'S GUESS FOR THE CHP
Turkey's oldest and main opposition party, the CHP, is now effectively divided in two after a court annulled the party's November 2023 congress and reinstated former chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in place of Özgür Özel. The split became more visible when both camps held rallies simultaneously at 2 p.m. on May 30. Kılıçdaroğlu returned to party headquarters to chants of 'Kılıçdaroğlu, the people's hope' — a stark reversal from just days earlier, when another crowd had branded him a 'traitor' and 'the AKP's hope' on May 24, reacting to the court-ordered change in the party leadership carried out with police support. The first head-to-head show of strength between the two camps laid bare a simple reality: Özel commands greater grassroots support, but Kılıçdaroğlu holds the formal authority to run the party.
TURKEY EASES ARMENIA TRADE EMBARGO AS PASHINYAN SEEKS MANDATE FOR REGIONAL PEACE PUSH
One of the most concrete steps yet in the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia—launched in 2021—has been taken with a move toward direct trade between the two countries. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is heading into a June 7 election widely seen as a vote of confidence on his parallel agendas of steering the country toward the West while pursuing peace with Azerbaijan and normalization with Turkey. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli announced on X on May 13 that bureaucratic preparations for the launch of direct trade between Turkey and Armenia had been completed as of May 11.
TURKEY SIGNALS SHIFT ON ARMENIA — FROM THE SUMMIT HALL TO THE OP-ED PAGE
Three retired Turkish diplomats have publicly voiced their support for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of the country's parliamentary elections scheduled for early June, following a joint visit to Yerevan.
TURKEY TO UNVEIL COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR CRITICAL MINERALS
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the government will soon announce an official National Critical Raw Materials strategy, with the Beylikova rare earth elements project to serve as its main pillar.
ERDOĞAN FUELS HOPE ON PEACE PROCESS BUT STALEMATE CONTINUES WITHOUT ANY PROGRESS
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has fueled hope for progress in the Kurdish process but his stance doesn’t amount to real movement, according to the DEM Party. Soon after dismissing claims of a deadlock in the "Terror-Free Turkey" process as "noise" at the April 23 reception, Erdoğan reiterated that the process is advancing as intended and urged all actors to act responsibly during a turbulent regional period.
DIVIDE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND ITS DIASPORA AHEAD OF ELECTIONS
“Today marks the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As we honor the 1.5 million Armenians murdered by the Ottoman Empire across modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Armenia, we must refuse to let history repeat itself;” wrote Zohran Mamdani.
15 RELEASED IN ISTANBUL CORRUPTION CASE AS ERDOĞAN AND ÖZEL TRADE BLOWS
Fifteen more pre-trial defendants were released in the corruption case targeting the Istanbul Municipality, including Adem Soytekin, a businessperson who applied for leniency under Turkey's remorse law, as the war of words between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and main opposition CHP Chair Özgür Özel showed no signs of abating over the case.
JUSTICE MINISTER BETS ON COLD CASES TO REBUILD TRUST IN JUSTICE
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek has staked his reputation on a sweeping review of Turkey's unsolved murders — a calculated move that appears designed as much to rehabilitate the judiciary's battered image as to deliver justice.
TURKEY SEEKING POSITION AS SECURE ENERGY HUB
As the war between the US-Israel and Iran disrupts global energy routes, Turkey is trying to transform the regional crisis into an opportunity to offer security of supplies.