Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
The court released four defendants, while informants who testified under effective remorse provisions refused to answer most questions from defense lawyers during cross-examination, claiming their previous testimonies were based on hearsay.
Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief İbrahim Kalın made a visit to Athens on Aug. 28, meeting his Greek counterpart Themistoklis Demiris, head of the National Intelligence Service (EYP), at its headquarters, and the trip was publicized to media with a week delay, as a rare example.
In Turkish, there is a saying: “to rediscover America,” similar to reinventing the wheel in English. It means to re-examine something that is already known and established. It carries a negative connotation. To those who act in this way, people often ask mockingly:“Are you trying to rediscover America?”
The parliamentary commission examining the Kurdish problem is expected to complete its joint report by the end of February, marking nearly one year since PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan called on the PKK to lay down arms on Feb. 27, 2025.
After past controversies over leaks of exam questions and fake diplomas, Turkey’s Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) is again under scrutiny — this time for alleged interference in university preference lists.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen. Nakatani toured the facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Baykar to examine Turkish-made aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. His visit followed a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.
Özlem Çerçioğlu has been elected mayor of Aydın from the CHP for four consecutive terms. She also previously served two terms as a CHP lawmaker. Before delving into the political dimension, it’s worth examining the nickname she’s been given—“Topuklu Efe” (Efe in High Heels).
Allegations of widespread cheating in Turkey’s national High School Entrance Exam (LGS) have triggered a political storm, with opposition figures accusing the Education Ministry of negligence and a cover-up, while Minister Yusuf Tekin has forcefully rejected the claims, using inflammatory language to discredit critics. More than a month after the exam, a senior official from the ministry has been dismissed.
We are living in bizarre times. Not just strange or odd, but truly bizarre. Politics is being tested like in a diploma exam. The diploma of Istanbul Mayor and the CHP’s almost certain presidential candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has become nearly the only topic of discussion these days. The diploma debate is not new in Turkish politics either. This is a country where, perhaps since his election, there has been an ongoing debate over whether President Tayyip Erdoğan has a diploma or not. However, this time, the roles have reversed: those who once said, "Erdoğan does not have a diploma; his presidency is invalid," are now facing off against those who argue, "İmamoğlu’s diploma is null and void; he cannot run for the presidency." The debate is revolving around the question of "who actually has a diploma."
When Hakan Fidan met the new recruits who passed the Foreign Ministry’s examinations in February, he told them not to marry foreigners. He has made his objections known since the first day he came to office in June 2023, complaining that the rate of Turkish diplomats married to a foreign national had reached 20 percent. He also made clear that while those already married to foreigners would not be discriminated against, from now on those who would marry foreigners would not be appointed to critical positions.