TWO FACES OF THE PROCESS: DISARMAMENT, YES. DEMOCRATIZATION, NOT YET
Two years into the PKK’s disarmament process, fears of stalling have resurfaced. DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan put it plainly: “The pace of the process has slowed.”
Analysis
In-Depth Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
FUND CRISIS ERASES BILLIONS FROM BORSA ISTANBUL
More than a month after the fund collapse occurred, the shockwaves continue to rock the stock market. The crisis wiped out trillions of liras in corporate market capitalization and drove key valuation metrics to multi-year lows in Borsa Istanbul.
ACCESS BAN HITS TİP’S X ACCOUNTS AFTER FUND SCANDAL POSTS
Authorities have ordered an access ban on the X accounts of the left-wing TİP headquarters and its Istanbul branch, the party said on Oct. 14, following thousands of similar bans on the accounts of academics, journalists, websites and associations.
FDI DOWN 35% IN FIRST EIGHT MONTHS
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows fell 35% year-over-year in the first eight months of 2026 to $6.8 billion from $10.5 billion recorded during the same period in 2025, according to data released by the International Investors Association (YASED).
FUND SCANDAL PAYOUTS BEGIN AS MSCI FREEZE DEEPENS MARKET TURMOIL
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.
TURKISH-OWNED SHIP SUNK IN BLACK SEA, ANKARA WARNS BOTH UKRAINE AND RUSSIA
A Turkish-owned commercial cargo ship sank in the Black Sea following an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) attack, killing all 10 crew members on board, BBC Turkish reported.
WITH INFLATION AT 5-YEAR LOW, MARKETS EYE MODEST RATE CUT
For the first time in nearly five years, Turkey’s annual inflation rate slipped below 30%, giving the central bank room to consider easing monetary policy at its meeting on Oct. 22.
AKP GAINS UPPER HAND AS IZMIR MAYOR SWITCHES SIDES
“Flowers bloom on the mountains of Izmir / The golden sun scatters gold thread there / The routed enemies all flee like the wind / Long live Mustafa Kemal Pasha, long live! Your name will be inscribed on a jeweled stone.”
MECCA PACT ACTIVATED AT BREAKNECK SPEED
Just as the ink was drying on the Mecca Pact, the deployment of troops is now on the table, following Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
GOVERNMENT PREPARES REGULATORY OVERHAUL
The government is preparing comprehensive reforms across its financial regulatory bodies following the massive investment fund crisis that shook domestic markets.
A SLOW-MOTION FINANCIAL CRASH AND WARNINGS TURKEY IGNORED FUELS SPECULATIONS ABOUT ŞİMŞEK
For over a week, a single issue was on Turkey’s agenda: What happened to the money in the funds? Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, who had stayed silent on the crisis since it began and faced growing speculation that he would be fired, broke his silence on Sept. 24 to deny that he was leaving.
APPAREL MAKERS TURN TO SYRIA AND UZBEKISTAN
Rising labor and production costs are forcing Turkish apparel manufacturers to seek new low-cost hubs, turning to Syria and Uzbekistan after previously expanding into Egypt.