Analysis

In-Depth Analysis

Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.

FIVE-PARTY ROADMAP SETS STAGE; ALL EYES ON ANKARA FOR NEXT MOVE
Capital Currents Feb 19, 2026

FIVE-PARTY ROADMAP SETS STAGE; ALL EYES ON ANKARA FOR NEXT MOVE

The “process report” that charts the roadmap for Parliament toward solving the Kurdish question has been finalized. The document did not push the limits of the AKP and MHP too far; it received a cautious “hopeful” endorsement from the CHP on the grounds that accepted democratic demands “must not remain mere words on paper”; the DEM Party deemed it “better than nothing” despite its shortcomings; and the Yeni Yol group welcomed with a familiar “not enough, but yes.”

Nergis Demirkaya
CRACKDOWN ON HAIR-BRAIDING CAMPAIGN
Media, Internet and Culture Jan 30, 2026

CRACKDOWN ON HAIR-BRAIDING CAMPAIGN

A symbolic protest emerged after images circulated on social media showing the cut hair of a woman allegedly killed in Syria, in areas formerly under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The images sparked a wave of solidarity in Turkey, where activists, health workers, and even a football club adopted hair-braiding as a form of protest—prompting legal and political repercussions.

Editorial Team
BAHÇELI MOVES TO STEADY TURKEY’S PEACE PROCESS AMID SYRIA SHOCKS
Inside Turkey Jan 30, 2026

BAHÇELI MOVES TO STEADY TURKEY’S PEACE PROCESS AMID SYRIA SHOCKS

As the Turkish peace process with Kurds enters a period of turbulence following shifting dynamics and territorial changes in Syria, MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli, who initiated the process, has stepped up efforts to prevent it from unraveling even as rhetoric hardens between the ruling bloc and the DEM Party.

Editorial Team
TURKEY SEEKS TO DOUBLE TYPHOON PURCHASE FROM QATAR
Security and Defense Jan 29, 2026

TURKEY SEEKS TO DOUBLE TYPHOON PURCHASE FROM QATAR

Turkey is seeking to increase its planned purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Qatar to 24 aircraft, up from an initial 12, as Ankara explores options to secure additional airframes amid tightening global supply and rising demand, a senior defense source told Turkey in Depth.

Editorial Team
SYRIA SHIFT PUTS TURKEY’S PEACE PROCESS UNDER PRESSURE
Deep Dive Jan 22, 2026

SYRIA SHIFT PUTS TURKEY’S PEACE PROCESS UNDER PRESSURE

Turkey joined Damascus, welcoming the victory of Syrian government forces and the defeat of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which further strained the ongoing peace process. Tensions in the political arena rose after a Turkish flag was brought down during the DEM Party’s group meeting in the border town of Nusaybin, neighboring Qamishli. The name of the person who brought down the Turkish flag was not shared by the government, but an investigation was launched, while the DEM Party described the incident as a provocation, recalling similar instances from the past.

Editorial Team
FIRST ERDOGAN-PEZESHKIAN CALL SINCE IRAN DEMONSTRATIONS
Foreign Affairs Jan 22, 2026

FIRST ERDOGAN-PEZESHKIAN CALL SINCE IRAN DEMONSTRATIONS

In their first call since unrest spread across Iran, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, that Turkey does not support any scenario involving external intervention in Iran, according to a statement from the Turkish Presidency on Jan. 22.

Editorial Team
SYRIA OUTLOOK OF ANKARA: FORCE NEEDED TO DRIVE NEGOTIATIONS
Foreign Affairs Jan 16, 2026

SYRIA OUTLOOK OF ANKARA: FORCE NEEDED TO DRIVE NEGOTIATIONS

As negotiations between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stalled following the loss of two Aleppo neighborhoods from its control, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Syrian government would take steps to exercise its sovereign right to ensure unity and order within the country if needed.

Editorial Team
SHADOW OF SYRIA OVER TURKEY’S PEACE PROCESS
Capital Currents Jan 15, 2026

SHADOW OF SYRIA OVER TURKEY’S PEACE PROCESS

Following the PKK’s decision to lay down arms, the newly launched “peace process” has become tangled up in tensions over Syria. The military operation by the Damascus regime that pushed the SDF/YPG out of two Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo has strained relations between the AKP–MHP alliance and the DEM Party, ending a cautious rapprochement as part of the process. It has also disrupted a positive atmosphere that had lasted for nearly a year, raising fresh doubts about the prospects of success.

Nergis Demirkaya