Analysis

In-Depth Analysis

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

DISARMAMENT DELAYS COULD DERAIL DEM PARTY CONGRESS PLANS
Capital Currents May 15, 2026

DISARMAMENT DELAYS COULD DERAIL DEM PARTY CONGRESS PLANS

The PKK’s disarmament, which has now stretched beyond a year and a half, has stalled at precisely the most critical stage — the point at which the state is expected to take action. Unless the government softens its precondition that “the disarmament process must first be fully completed,” the expected legal steps will likely be postponed until the new legislative year in October. The risks posed by delay are being discussed and meanwhile it also appears set to derail the transformation plans of the DEM Party, which has already started the countdown to a congress.

Nergis Demirkaya
A NEW CHAPTER IN CAUCASUS - IF IT HOLDS
Guest Voices Aug 11, 2025

A NEW CHAPTER IN CAUCASUS - IF IT HOLDS

The Caucasus is undergoing a fundamental transformation that could reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape. After decades of failed attempts—such as the 2001 peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan or the 2009 Armenia–Turkey Zurich Protocols—Armenia and Azerbaijan have now initialed agreements that could pave the way for a historic breakthrough.

Guest Voices
BÜYÜKELÇİ
Word of the Week Jul 25, 2025

BÜYÜKELÇİ

In Turkish, the term for ambassador has undergone a transformation as sweeping as the empire it once served. The old-fashioned word was “Sefir,” from the Arabic s‑f‑r root meaning “to bear a message,” and the highest rank was Sefir‑i Kebir—the Grand Envoy—complete with embroidered robes and horse-led fanfare. Today, the bureaucratic “Büyükelçi” literally means “great envoy,” yet, put in plain Turkish, it feels a little less illustrious.

Nazlan Ertan
TURKEY’S ECONOMIC FUTURE: AT THE CROSSROADS OF GLOBAL REORDERING
Guest Voices May 30, 2025

TURKEY’S ECONOMIC FUTURE: AT THE CROSSROADS OF GLOBAL REORDERING

As the dust settles from the economic shocks of the pandemic, the Ukraine war, and the breakdown of traditional supply chains, a new global order is taking shape—one where economic policy is no longer just about growth and trade but about power, resilience, and survival. Amid this transformation, Turkey stands at a crossroads: a country historically anchored to the West but increasingly drawn to non-Western alignments, and now forced to choose a direction in a fractured world.

Editorial Team