Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
The last hearing in the second session of the Istanbul Municipality case regarding corruption accusations closed before 6 p.m. for the first time on Sept. 17, after weeks of hearings that had stretched late into the night.
After years of demonizing rhetoric against LGBTQ+ people, Turkish authorities launched a nationwide operation named 'My Family Is Safe,' detaining hundreds of people from civil society. The crackdown continued with arrests and access bans targeting dissidents, media outlets and civil society organizations' X accounts, widening to include broader opposition voices who spoke out against the operations. The main charge in the investigation was 'obscenity.'
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remarks during a meeting in his hometown of Rize sparked debate over an early election, though officials quickly downplayed the likelihood of an imminent vote.
Armenia will host its 35th Independence Day reception in Istanbul on Oct. 14. The event marks a rare diplomatic event in Turkey as the two neighbors work to normalize long-strained ties.
US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack signaled that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump “could” meet in New York during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
In contrast to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s declaration that the EU is not a priority for Turkey, new trade and industry measures that are taking shape within the 27-member bloc remain an urgent matter for large sections of the economy.
“In an age when artificial intelligence does data analysis,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan asked assembled ambassadors at the 2025 Ambassadors Conference in December, “is there still such a need for the classical diplomat and for classical diplomacy?”
The central bank and other regulator bodies stepped in to stabilize financial markets after alleged market manipulation, fraud and fund mismanagement sparked a major equity sell-off and corporate defaults.
The government will discontinue its 'sliding scale' fuel tax offset mechanism at the end of 2026, shifting focus toward boosting budget revenues ahead of potential elections in 2027 or early 2028.
Authorities have launched a judicial operation against major produce distributors, detaining scores of executive-level figures for artificially inflating wholesale fruit and vegetable prices amid high food inflation.
Fliggy, Chinese tech giant Alibaba’s travel platform, is preparing to enter the Turkish market as parliament considers new legislation to regulate foreign digital booking platforms.
Zülfü Livaneli made a clear decision this week. The musician and novelist put an end to the playing of his celebrated composition at opposition rallies protesting the operations that have targeted Ekrem İmamoğlu — and subsequently numerous other mayors and municipal officials — since March 19, 2025.