‘Our bodies are Turkish, our souls Islamic!’ The rise of Turkey’s ultra-nationalists

Source:Middle East Eye Date:23Jul2018

They call themselves idealists. Turkey’s ultra-nationalists, who prefer the Turkish term Ulkucu, have been described in many ways: as hyper-modern politicians and as throwbacks, true

Read More

Erdoğan’s Turkey: Unwanted in Arab Lands

Source:Gatestone Institute Date:23Jul2018

“We remain most curious,” an Arab defense attaché told this author one evening, “how an intelligent man like [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan stubbornly fails to

Read More

Erdoğan files complaint against Kılıçdaroğlu, 72 CHP deputies

Source:Hurriyet Daily News Date:20Jul2018

State of Emergency is history, but  pressure on the oppostion piles up:   Kılıçdaroğlu had tweeted a cartoon on July 17 depicting Erdoğan as various animals to show support for four

Read More

Proposed Legislation Stokes New Crackdown as Emergency Rule Ending in Turkey

Source:Voice of America Date:18Jul2018

Despite the proposed new powers, analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners suggests there remains a way for Erdogan to make a conciliatory gesture. “One way to keep the binding provisions

Read More

The Next Balancing Act for President Erdogan

Source:Fair Obverver Date:14Jul2018

A good historical review of the Republican  tradition and Erdogan’s challenges:  Rebuilding  institutions and taming his nationalist ally MHP.   With few, if any, friends among

Read More

Erdoğan Not Assured of First-Round Victory

Source:Center for American Progress Date:17Jun2018

In April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for snap elections expecting to solidify his rule under new constitutional powers. Yet with less than two weeks to go until the June 24

Read More

OSCE expresses concerns over June 24 elections in Turkey in interim report

Source:Stockholm Center for Freedom Date:17Jun2018

An interim report of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) cites a number of concerns regarding the democratic process ahead of upcoming elections in Turkey, including

Read More

Can Europe save Turkey from sliding into authoritarianism?

Source:Open Democracy Date:15Jun2018

The EU’s ability to pressure Turkey on democratization and human rights has been arrested on multiple fronts. As long as the humanitarian crisis in Syria continues, the EU will be less willing to

Read More

Turkish President Erdogan faces an alliance of opposition parties looking to remove him from office

Source:LA Times Date:03May2018

The opposition alliance and emergence of SP as challenger to AKP would be the most decisive  developments in Turkish politics since the coup attempt:   Polls show Erdogan’s Justice and

Read More

Erdoğan, Akşener neck-and-neck in PIAR poll – report

Source:Ahval News Date:07Apr2018

First Turkish poll comparing alliances.  Results are discouring for Erdogan and AKP-MHP.   Erdoğan would win 41.9 percent of the vote in the second and deciding round of the election should

Read More