Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Two deadly maritime disasters off Northern Cyprus and in the Marmara Sea have raised questions over oversight failures within maritime transport, leaving at least 20 dead and 28 missing while triggering political backlash against officials.
Annual consumer inflation in Turkey remained above 30% for the 57th consecutive month in August. Official figures from TurkStat put August inflation at 31.5%, slightly slower than 31.75% in July.
Although there has been no official statement from the Istanbul Governorship confirming the cancellation of a concert by producer Anyma in Istanbul, pro-government outlets reported that the show had been canceled after it was dubbed a 'satanist ritual.'
The CHP Party Assembly has launched disciplinary proceedings against former party officials who have aligned themselves with the breakaway Yeni Party.
The central bank has resumed one-week repo auctions after a nearly six-month pause, an operational shift that effectively lowers market funding costs and paves the way for official policy rate cuts.
The government plans to privatize state-operated highways and bridges under a 25-year transfer of operating rights model, while officials weigh whether to sell the assets as a single bundle or divide them into separate packages.
Özgür Özel, ousted as CHP chair by a court ruling, is preparing to set up a new party even as legal threats mount against him and his allies. The party is likely to be called Yeni Party (New Party), Özel said. 'We are working on the name and the logo. The name has started to become clear. There is a generally accepted name, while the logo is still being worked on. For now, let's call it 'Yeni Party.' Until there is a new name, let's say Yeni Party,' Özel told SZC TV. 'The statute and the program are being written. The official step will be taken at the end of July or the beginning of August,' Özel told the channel at parliament ahead of a special session marking the 10th anniversary of the failed coup attempt.
Paying an official visit to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of the NATO Summit and signaling movement on the F-35 and the Kaan's F110 engines, US President Donald Trump also touched on two subjects that sent a chill through Ankara: the release of American Pastor Andrew Brunson, and Turkey's stance in the US-Israeli war against Iran. Meant as praise, both stories cut deeper than they flattered.
Bilateral ties with the United States have seen many ups and downs. Currently, the Turkish-US relationship is going through one of those up periods, according to a high-level Turkish official.
Millions of retirees in Turkey are waiting for official inflation data due on July 3 to learn how much their pensions could increase in the second half of the year. TurkStat will announce June inflation figures on July 3, revealing the inflation rate for the first six months of 2026. The data will determine the basis for pension adjustments. The parliament previously set the minimum pension for workers and self-employed retirees at 20,000 Turkish lira ($434) as of Jan. 1, 2026. Any increase to that minimum pension level will require a new legal regulation.
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.
The intended target of the ballistic missile launched from Iran and intercepted on Turkish airspace on March 4 remains disputed. While Turkey said the missile was heading toward the eastern Mediterranean, NATO said the target was Turkey, and U.S. officials pointed to the location, Incirlik Air Base. Iran, however, denied that Turkey was the intended target.