Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Turkey’s media regulator has imposed 10-day broadcast blackouts on opposition channels Halk TV and Sözcü TV, accusing them of “inciting hatred and hostility.” The decision has sparked widespread criticism and renewed concerns over press freedom in the country.
Just weeks before the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meets to decide on promotions in the ranks, the ruling AKP introduced a bill to amend the Turkish Armed Forces Personnel Law, allowing force commanders to remain in office until age 72 with presidential approval.
The chairs of Turkey’s ruling alliance launched coordinated attacks on the main opposition CHP, accusing it of internal disarray, corruption, and political opportunism.
Four staff members of the satirical magazine Leman were arrested after a cartoon accused of insulting religious values triggered violent protests in Istanbul and drew sharp reactions from across the political spectrum.
A new front has been opened in the judicial assault on the main opposition CHP, shifting the focus from Istanbul to the party’s stronghold in Izmir. The latest set of raids came as Izmir fought off forest fires and as the CHP prepared to hold a major rally in Saraçhane—home to Istanbul's Municipality—marking the 100th day of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s pre-trial detention. They also followed hard on the heels of a court hearing that could have annulled the party’s 2023 congress.
Now that the summer season is on, Turkey loves to market itself with the usual package: sun, sea, sand and the occasional sex. But for over a decade now, the country’s most reliable tourism magnet has been a silent fifth S: saç/hair. Or more precisely, saç ektirme/hair transplant.
The unintended consequence of U.S. interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan has been the assertion of Iranian power. “We are in power in four capitals,” Iranians used to brag of their presence and clout in Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus and Yemen.
In Turkey, tatil (holiday) is a prism through which one can observe culture, class, and politics. It conjures images of mosque courtyards and family dinners or bustling resort towns thrumming with booked-out hotels and overpriced beaches.
Turkey has risen to become one of the world’s top tourism destinations, welcoming over 56 million international visitors in 2023. Its appeal lies in a rare combination of sun-soaked beaches, rich cultural heritage, world-class cuisine, and warm hospitality—all easily accessible from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. But as prices surge and market dynamics shift, industry insiders warn the sector may be heading toward a critical inflection point.
A few days after the new U.S. envoy to Germany took up office in Berlin in 2013, news broke out that Washington had been spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone since 2002.
In Turkey, a köprü (bridge) is never just a bridge. This week, the Bosphorus Bridge—officially renamed the “15 July Martyrs Bridge” after the 2016 coup attempt—became a stage for protest. A group of CHP deputies climbed onto the structure and unfurled a massive banner reading: “Free İmamoğlu” right before the CHP leader and his guests from the Socialist International would cross it. The message was direct: release Istanbul’s elected mayor, jailed on charges widely condemned as political. Only a few hours before that, the members of the Socialist International had raised a similar banner in their meeting.
Ali Koç is the president of Fenerbahçe, one of Turkey’s “big three” football clubs, alongside Galatasaray and Beşiktaş. Recently, he was seen eating baklava ahead of Fenerbahçe’s EuroLeague basketball final match in Abu Dhabi. Former minister and current ruling party MP Mustafa Varank was feeding him the baklava, which had been brought from Turkey. Varank said the baklava had been “prayed over,” to which Koç responded with an “amen.” In Turkey, when something is said to be “prayed over,” it means it has been blessed.