Challenging the official coup attempt narrative is a red line in Turkey. Revelations about the night could shake the foundations of the current political order. This explains the lack of interest among the politicians and journalists in the coup trials. Nevertheless, the path to return democracy and rule of law for Turkey is still hidden in the darkness of that night.

The NATO summit held in Ankara on July 7 and 8 produced few surprises. By the standards of the alliance in its current condition, a summit that ends without a scandal counts as a success, and Ankara delivered one. Participants across delegations described a flawlessly organized event in which every need had been anticipated, a sentiment the summit declaration itself echoed in recording the allies' appreciation for Turkey's hospitality.

Turkey crossed another threshold in Africa this week. On June 30, Turkish F-16 fighter jets struck Al-Shabaab positions in Somalia in the first publicly acknowledged combat use of Turkish warplanes in the country. According to Somalia's Ministry of Defense, the strikes, conducted in support of the Somali National Army, targeted caves, weapons depots, and hideouts, killing approximately 35 militants and seriously wounding more than 20 others.

The NATO Summit will be attended by the heads of government, among them U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with other guests such as Syrian President Ahmad al-Shaara. These are the busiest days for Western diplomats posted in Turkey, who are scrambling to prepare for their leaders' arrivals.

The agreement provides Iran with substantial gains, including sanctions relief, an end to hostilities extending to Lebanon, and tacit acceptance of its ballistic missile program. The two sides also retain a 60-day window to negotiate a final settlement on the nuclear file. From Ankara's perspective, a settlement preserving the Iranian state was always more likely than the regime change pursued by Washington and Israel.

12 Haziran 2026 tarihinde yürürlüğe girecek Avrupa Birliği (AB) Göç ve İlticaya Dair Yeni Pakt, AB hukukundaki sığınma ve sınır yönetimi mevzuatını köklü biçimde reforme etmektedir. Söz konusu pakt salt teknik bir mevzuat güncellemesi olarak değerlendirilemez. Bilakis, göçle ilgili yürürlüğe giren bu düzenlemeler Avrupa’da son on yılda siyasi konjonktürü belirleyen göçmen karşıtı dalganın ve aşırı sağın yükselişinin hukuki düzleme yansımasıdır.

It has been five years since the failed coup attempt in Turkey and no one has any clear idea yet what actually happened that night. While the complete narrative and evidence about the failed coup have yet to be clarified, the scope of the reaction by the Turkish government to the coup attempt was quite horrifying.

In the past year, through our various publications, analyses and podcasts, instituDE has strived to shed light on Turkey; its domestic politics, economy, foreign policy and human rights situation. We have worked to provide valuable information and comments on Turkey for the foreign observers as well as the Turkish public. We put effort into raising awareness on the human rights violations and authoritarian practices in Turkey.