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Turkey

What is happening there and why it matters.

So it makes sense

Turkey is a NATO member that is simultaneously weighing entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — and that straddle defines its entire foreign policy. It controls the straits through which Russian grain and oil pass, hosts the world’s largest refugee population, and its economy operates in a mode that would count as a crisis elsewhere.

Who governs: The president is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose power rests on the presidential system introduced in 2018. The government openly weighs full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and insists it is not a turn away from NATO or the West. The economy is under strain: corporate credit debt rose 38 % in a year and non-performing loans by 226 %.
Who opposes: The main opposition party is the Republican People’s Party (CHP) led by Özgür Özel; its best-known face is Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The pressure on the opposition is tangible — prosecutors are investigating former prime minister Ahmet Davutoğlu for insulting the president, and individual councillors are defecting from the CHP to the governing AKP.
Next election: The next presidential and parliamentary elections are expected in 2028.

Context verified 4. 9. 2026. We update it when the government changes or an election comes — the news below is live.

What Turkish media say about themselves

last 5. 10. at 11:03

During the seizure of the Istanbul municipality, a claim of blackmail was made: "If you switch to the AKP, your file will be closed" — according to Cumhuriyet, the full quote also includes "I'll have a word with the prosecutor"; on the same day, the mayor of Eyüpsultan, Mithat Bülent Özmen, and twenty-seven others were brought to the prosecutor's office

Cumhuriyet, Milliyet
Tracking since 4. 10. — 2 earlier instalments
1. 4. 10. Saračhane: 12 people acquitted, four sentenced for "insulting the president" — The trial concerned 16 defendants after the protests over İmamoğlu's detention. Cumhuriyet
2. 4. 10. İmamoğlu's sentence of 2 years and 7 months: if the Kasačný súd upholds it, new elections in İBB could start — The press is analyzing the seat distribution in the city council and a possible election scenario. Cumhuriyet
The stock market crisis wiped 4.5 trillion lira off the market value of listed companies in September — a new regulation with an early-warning system is to be submitted to Erdoğan; the author for Yeni Akit has so far asked AKP member Şamil Tayyar whether he is "not trying to overthrow Erdoğan"

Cumhuriyet, Cumhuriyet, Cumhuriyet
Tracking since 4. 10. — 1 earlier instalment
1. 4. 10. Investigation into "funds": 20 more arrested, 85 in total; Bahçeli and Erdoğan promise a tough approach — The case concerns transactions on the capital market; the opposition asks who oversees the overseers. TRT Haber, Habertürk, Milliyet, Milliyet
Annual inflation fell below 30 percent after fifty-seven months — 29.73 percent; Minister Şimşek says the "eşel mobil" mechanism is being phased out gradually

TRT Haber, Sabah
Istanbul Stock Exchange falls by more than 5% amid a global bond sell-off; market awaits September inflation data

Cumhuriyet
BDDK tightens conditions for phone installment plans and minimum payments on credit cards — For phones up to 40,000 TL, the maximum repayment term is 12 months.

Hürriyet, Sabah
Mersin: during a search of the house of a suspect in a municipal corruption case, police found more than 257,000 euros and four kilograms of gold — MP Bülbül (YENİ) is asking the interior minister who published the footage from the house search.

Habertürk, Cumhuriyet
Lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan moved at 03:00 to another prison; İmamoğlu and the Istanbul Chamber demand an explanation — The chamber speaks of a violation of the ban on torture and ill-treatment; the justice ministry has not yet commented.

Cumhuriyet, Cumhuriyet
Ataşehir: after the mayor Adıgüzel was detained, his deputy and 13 other people were also detained for bribery — The jailed mayor Adıgüzel says the timing of the operation is "conspicuous" and political.

Hürriyet, Cumhuriyet, Sabah

How the neighbours see it

mentions of the country in media of surrounding states

Soma: five miners killed in a mine collapse, company owner detained

🇬🇷 Protothema, 🇩🇪 Tagesspiegel
Iraq complains to the UN about 398 Turkish violations in four months; Ankara cites self-defense

🇬🇷 Naftemporiki, 🇬🇷 Protothema
Greek press: dispute over NOTAMs in the Aegean Sea and Turkish NAVTEXs concerning the Greece-Cyprus undersea cable — Athens describes Turkish surveys in Cypriot waters as illegal.

🇬🇷 Protothema, 🇬🇷 To Vima
German and Greek press: small fund investors fear for their money, Erdoğan's close associates reportedly earned millions — Greek media also mention compensation of up to 18,000 euros for affected investors.

🇩🇪 Spiegel, 🇬🇷 To Vima, 🇬🇷 Protothema

What happened

3 reports over 14 days in 3 events

Turkish police seized opposition TV channel Halk TV in Istanbul

Turkish police raided the headquarters of opposition-leaning Halk TV in Istanbul on Wednesday, October 14, interrupting live broadcasting.

HotInfo 14.10. 12:25

Mecca Alliance: Riyadh airport closed until October 17, pact awaits vote in Ankara

Saudis, Turks and Pakistanis have had a defense pact since August. After Houthi attacks they activated it, but Ankara and Islamabad have so far promised support rath…

HotInfo 13.10. 06:50

Houthis claim attack on airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia reports intercepted missile. Turkey and Pakistan want to send troops to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has again bombed the capital of Yemen, the rebels claim. According to Reuters, Riyadh wants to take the strait through which a third of container traffi…

HotInfo 7.10. 13:59

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Turkey

What Turkish media say about themselves

How the neighbours see it

What happened

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