Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP, is convening an extraordinary congress today in a bid to resolve ongoing legal challenges stemming from vote-buying allegations tied to its 2023 ordinary congress. CHP Chair Özgür Özel, who took the party’s helm during that same 2023 congress, is expected to reaffirm his leadership for the third time. No challenger is anticipated.
U.S. President Donald Trump will host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the White House on Sept. 25, shortly after both leaders attend the UN General Assembly in New York. Their talks are expected to focus on defense and trade, including Boeing aircraft sales, a major F-16 package, and the potential revival of discussions on the suspended F-35 program.
Religious Affairs Directorate head Ali Erbaş’s term has come to an end. He held the post for eight years. In other words, during the last eight years of the ruling party’s 23-year tenure, Turkey’s religious life was under Erbaş’s administration. Heads of the directorate, known as the Diyanet in Turkish, have always been subjects of debate, but Erbaş has been at the very peak of this controversy.
The postponement of the decision in the lawsuit to cancel the CHP's 38th regular congress brought short-term relief to the markets. The BIST 100 index gained 5% following the decision. The banking index also gained over 6%. The risk premium reached 261 basis points, the lowest in about six months.
The Central Bank reduced the calculation margins for credit card cash advances and overdraft account interest rates by 25 basis points.
The 13th Teknofest, Turkey’s Aviation, Space, and Technology Festival, is taking place at Istanbul Atatürk Airport from Sept. 17 to 21. The event is organized by the T3 Foundation (Turkey Technology Team) and the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
Turkey’s state-owned Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) has signed an agreement to supply 20mm ammunition to Poland for use with KAI FA-50GF Block 10 light combat aircraft.
Aselsan has completed modernization work on its Koral Ground-Based Electronic Support and Electronic Attack system, which has been in service with the Turkish Armed Forces since 2016.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz unveiled the Medium-Term Program for 2026–28, raising the end-2025 inflation target by 11 points from the previous plan. Yılmaz said real GDP growth targets are 3.8% in 2026, 4.3% in 202, and 5.0% in 2028. The inflation path is 28.5% for end-2025, 16% for end-2026, 9% for 2027, and 8% for 2028.
Zafer Party Chair Ümit Özdağ's trial on charges of insulting the president has been postponed until Dec. 24.
İYİ Party Deputy Chair Hakan Şeref Olgun said he is preparing to file a lawsuit contesting the 2017 constitutional referendum, in which the Supreme Election Board accepted unstamped ballots.
Authorities seized Habertürk, Show TV and Bloomberg HT, along with 121 other companies tied to Can Holding, after the Küçükçekmece Chief Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for eight people, including owners Mehmet Şakir Can, Kemal Can, and Chairman of the Board Kenan Tekdağ. The suspects face charges of forming a criminal organization, smuggling, fraud, and money laundering.