Opinions - Turkey

Suudi Arabistan’ın Türkiye’nin Suriye ve Mısır’la Normalleşme Süreçlerine Etkileri

Suudi Arabistan’ın Türkiye’nin Suriye ve Mısır’la Normalleşme Süreçlerine Etkileri

by Enes Esen, published on 29 March 2023
Türkiye’nin Suriye ve Mısır’la son dönemdeki normalleşme süreçlerini sadece ikili ilişkiler perspektifinden değerlendirmemek gerekiyor. Arap dünyasında lider konumunda olan Suudi Arabistan’ın bu ülkelerle ilişkileri ve Türkiye’ye yönelik tavrı bölge politikalarını doğrudan etkiliyor. Bu bağlamda, Suudi Arabistan’ın Mısır ve Suriye ile ilişkilerinde son dönemde önemli gelişmeler yaşanıyor.
Why Was the Meeting Between Turkey and Syria Cancelled?

Why Was the Meeting Between Turkey and Syria Cancelled?

by Enes Esen, published on 17 March 2023
The cancellation of the meeting can be interpreted as a snub to the Erdogan administration, especially since the abrupt nature of the cancellation did not allow Ankara to save face by providing a more reasonable excuse
ABD Dışişleri Bakanı Blinken’ın Türkiye Ziyaretinde Ne Beklenmeli?

ABD Dışişleri Bakanı Blinken’ın Türkiye Ziyaretinde Ne Beklenmeli?

by Enes Esen, published on 19 February 2023
Göreve yaklaşık iki yıl önce başlayan ABD Dışişleri Bakanı Antony Blinken 19 Şubat’ta Türkiye’ye ilk resmi ziyaretini düzenleyecek. İnsani diplomasi kapsamında yürütülen ABD’nin deprem yardım faaliyetlerini yerinde görmek dışında Blinken’ın gündeminde kuvvetle muhtemel İsveç ve Finlandiya’nın NATO’ya tam üyeliği ile Ukrayna Savaşı konuları bulunuyor.
Changing Turkish Calculus in Northern Syria

Changing Turkish Calculus in Northern Syria

by Enes Esen, published on 12 February 2023
The earthquake has probably changed the calculus of a political decision on an incursion into northern Syria before the presidential elections. The earthquake has disrupted a vital logistics link between Turkey and Syria. The Turkish leadership is busy with the political outcomes of the earthquake and containing heavy criticism against its incompetence in handling the disaster.
Will Erdoğan and Al-Assad Shake Hands Soon?

Will Erdoğan and Al-Assad Shake Hands Soon?

by Enes Esen, published on 30 December 2022
President Erdoğan said on December 15th that he had proposed to Russia’s President Putin to hold a trilateral meeting between Turkey, Russia, and Syria. First, chiefs of intelligence would meet, followed by a meeting with ministers of defense, and later a meeting with ministers of foreign affairs. After these meetings laid the ground, he opined that the three presidents could have a trilateral meeting.
Bir Diplomatın Kazası Niye Haber Olur?

Bir Diplomatın Kazası Niye Haber Olur?

by Enes Esen, published on 23 December 2022
Geçtiğimiz hafta 15 Aralık günü İstanbul Şişli’de bir trafik kazası yaşandı. Haberlerde konsolosluk aracını ABD İstanbul Başkonsolosu Julie A. Eadeh'in eşi Mounir Elkhamri'nin kullandığı, yapılan ölçümde 240 promil alkollü çıkan Elkhamri’nin konsolosluk aracını bırakarak olay yerinden ayrıldığı, yaralı vatandaşın hastanede tedavisinin devam ettiği ve kazayla ilgili inceleme başlatıldığı belirtiliyordu. Basit bir trafik kazasına ilişkin basında birçok haber çıkması ve alakası bulunmadığı halde ısrarla kazaya ABD İstanbul Başkonsolosu Julie Eadeh’in dahil edilmesi üzerine ABD Ankara Büyükelçiliği bir açıklama yapma gereği duydu.

Reports - Turkey

Turkey's Vision For a New Syria

Turkey's Vision For a New Syria

by Mustafa Enes Esen, Haşim Tekineş, Mehmet Demirbaş and Servet Akman, published on 14 February 2026
This report analyzes Turkey’s vision for Syria following the fall of the Assad family and the rise of the HTS under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa. In this regard, it focuses on the foreign actors that, alongside Turkey, now have the greatest ability to shape Syria’s future: namely the United States and Israel.
Electrifying Turkey's Roads: EV Adoption Scenarios & Their Impact on Oil Imports

Electrifying Turkey's Roads: EV Adoption Scenarios & Their Impact on Oil Imports

by Baki Kaya, Ömer Güler, Harun Güngör, and Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 10 September 2025
This study evaluates, through long-term projections to 2053, the potential impact of increased EV penetration on Turkey’s energy landscape. It provides a comparative assessment of how changes in the share of EVs within the total vehicle fleet, across several scenario frameworks, could influence fuel demand and petroleum import volumes. A second, closely related objective is to measure the scale of Turkey’s oil dependency in order to establish a basis for examining its policy implications.
Geopolitical Constraints of Turkey's Energy Hub Ambitions

Geopolitical Constraints of Turkey's Energy Hub Ambitions

by Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 8 July 2025
This study focuses on the geopolitical dimensions and constraints shaping Turkey’s ambition to become a natural gas hub. The emphasis is on Turkey’s diplomatic relations with key supplier countries, the political instability across the wider Middle East, and the limited capacity of neighboring states to produce and export gas reliably—factors that collectively can make or undermine Turkey’s hub ambitions.
MODERNIZING THE TURKEY–EU CUSTOMS UNION: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

MODERNIZING THE TURKEY–EU CUSTOMS UNION: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

by instituDE, published in March 2025
The Turkey–EU Customs Union, established in 1995, has been a defining feature of trade relations between Turkey and the European Union. Over the past three decades, the global economic landscape has evolved significantly, necessitating a modernization of the agreement to address new trade realities, regulatory developments, and emerging geopolitical challenges.
TURKEY‘S MASS PURGE AS VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ICCPR

TURKEY‘S MASS PURGE AS VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ICCPR

by instituDE, published on 23 October 2024
'A gift from God' was one of Erdoğan's first descriptions related to coup attempt in July 15. At first no one realized that God's gift meant a chaotic environment in which he needed to declare a national emergency with no checks and balances and then transform Türkiye’s parliamentary democracy into an executive presidency.
JUDICIAL CORRUPTION IN TÜRKİYE

JUDICIAL CORRUPTION IN TÜRKİYE

by instituDE and Arrested Lawyers, published on October 2024
This submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) highlights severe issues undermining the integrity of Türkiye's judiciary, particularly focusing on rampant judicial corruption and impunity as well as human rights abuses which they facilitate. Based on the most recent incidents of corruption concerning members of the judiciary who serve in courts in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, this report seeks to examine the high-level corruption within the judiciary and the Turkish government’s failure or even willful ignorance in addressing it.

Videos - Turkey

Türkiye Sokaklarda!

March 24, 2025
by Mehmet Demirbaş and Haşim Tekineş, published on 24 March 2025
Erdoğan sarayında, İmamoğlu hapiste, Türkiye sokaklarda! Türkiye nereye gidiyor? Gösteriler nereye varacak? Dünyanın tepkisi nasıl?

Sivil Darbenin Uluslararası Konjonktürü

March 19, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 19 March 2025
Uluslararası dengeler tek adam rejimini sağlamlaştırması konusunda Erdoğan'a ciddi bir avantaj sağladı.

What is the PKK? Inside Turkey’s Recent Peace Talks

March 12, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 12 March 2025
Turkey has initiated a new round of talks with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a.k.a. PKK. PKK's founding leader called the group to lay down their weapons and dissolve the organization. The PKK has declared a ceasefire. Turkey seems to be closer to peace more than ever. Yet, ironically, the country is getting more and more authoritarian every passing day. The question is whether the authoritarian peace is possible?

Ve Ticaret Savaşları Başladı!

March 5, 2025
by Mehmet Demirbaş and Haşim Tekineş, published on 5 March 2025
Amerikan Başkanı Donald Trump Kanada, Meksika ve Çin'e gümrük vergileri koydu. Trump AB'ye de vergi koyacağını belirtiyor. Bu vergiler Amerika'yı, dünya ekonomisini ve Türkiye'yi nasıl etkileyecek?

Why Is Erdoğan Unhappy with the US-Russia Talks?

February 20, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 20 February 2025
US President Donald Trump decided to initiate direct talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Turkey-Turkmenistan Gas Deal: Challenges and Opportunities

February 19, 2025
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 19 February 2025
The Turkish government announced this week a deal between Turkey’s state-owned #pipeline operator BOTAŞ and Turkmenistan’s Turkmengaz. Although it is an important deal, it has still significant challenges.