Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
For nearly half a million retail investors caught in Turkey’s worst financial storm in years, compensation has finally begun to flow. But the first cash distributions came as the fallout spread beyond Turkey’s borders: global index provider MSCI froze index changes for Turkish equities on Oct. 15 and warned of a possible downgrade, while prosecutors broadened their probes and lawmakers scrambled to pass emergency legislation.
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.
Following the framework law's acceptance by a high vote of 467 in parliament — legislation expected to end a half-century-long conflict in relation to the Kurdish issue— now eyes are on the next steps the government will take.
Legislation designed to ensure the surrender of thousands of armed Kurdish militants will be passed before the end of the summer as the government tries to push the high-tension disarmament process over the line, according to remarks from Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.
The government is planning legislation to accelerate court cases, ease access to justice and possibly make radical changes to the appeals system.
Parliament will take up legislation in response to the PKK’s decision to dissolve and lay down its arms agenda after the Ramadan holiday.
Parliament approved legislation raising the minimum monthly pension to 20,000 lira ($460), an 18.4% increase, with effect from January. The bill, benefiting about 4.9 million retirees, was adopted by the Parliament with the support of the MHP lawmakers amid barbed debate.
The legislation comes amid disagreements with Greece and Israel in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Parliament will take up legislation in response to the PKK’s decision to dissolve and lay down its arms agenda after the Ramadan holiday. PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan has called for the adoption of “peace laws” as a condition for transition. While the DEM Party insists that the legal framework should be adopted before the end of March, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pointed to April, saying he expects the PKK to take more concrete steps.
Those under 15 may be barred from opening social media accounts under legislation that may be discussed in parliamentary commission at the end of January.
As the Peace Commission moves toward drafting its final document — and as legislation looms on the horizon — the key question is whether parliament can transform overlapping objectives into a shared roadmap, or whether the process will once again stall at the fault line between security-first sequencing and demands for democratic and political normalization.