Opinions - Turkey

Turkey in 2023: Navigating Turbulence - Erdogan's Quest for Normalcy

Turkey in 2023: Navigating Turbulence - Erdogan's Quest for Normalcy

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 17 December 2023
In 2023, Turkey completed the year without witnessing significant shifts in its domestic politics and foreign policy. The fusion of authoritarianism with crony capitalism and fluctuations in diplomatic relations persisted, reflecting a continuity with previous years.
Turkish-Made Killer Drones in Africa and Mounting Civilian Causalities

Turkish-Made Killer Drones in Africa and Mounting Civilian Causalities

by Enes Esen, published on 15 December 2023
Turkey typically displays utter indifference to the involvement of their drones in the killing of civilians in Africa, whether the incidents are allegedly accidental or intentional. As usual, there was not a word from the Turkish government on the latest strike in Nigeria.
Erdoğan’ın Almanya Ziyareti: Uçak Olmasa da Mülteci Alabiliriz

Erdoğan’ın Almanya Ziyareti: Uçak Olmasa da Mülteci Alabiliriz

by Ahmet Baransu, published on 20 November 2023
Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan'ın 17 Kasım günü Almanya'ya gerçekleştirdiği ziyaret her iki ülkenin de ana gündem maddelerinin ilk sırasında yer aldı. Bu ziyaret sırasında Erdoğan, Almanya Başbakanı Scholz ve Cumhurbaşkanı Steinmeier ile birer görüşme gerçekleştirdi. Ziyaret öncesi Erdoğan ve Scholz’un doğrudan birbirlerini hedef alan açıklamaları sonrası tansiyon bu kadar yükselmişken ve Almanya tarafından Erdoğan'a yönelik tepkiler bu kadar artmışken Scholz - Erdoğan görüşmesinin neden iptal edilmediği ya da en azından başka bir tarihe ertelenmediği sorusu karşımıza çıkıyor.
Is Gaza Really a Matter of Cross and Crescent for Turkey?

Is Gaza Really a Matter of Cross and Crescent for Turkey?

by Enes Esen, published on 17 November 2023
President Erdoğan has finally sharpened his criticism against Israel. In a speech delivered in parliament to his fellow party members this week, Erdoğan portrayed the events in Gaza as a matter of cross and crescent, drawing parallels to the Crusades that ravaged the Levant in the Middle Ages. Moreover, he not only labeled Israel as a terror state committing genocide, but also reiterated that Hamas is not a terrorist organization.
Turkish Government Is Not Entirely Unhappy With The War In Gaza

Turkish Government Is Not Entirely Unhappy With The War In Gaza

by Enes Esen, published on 9 November 2023
Middle Eastern governments are struggling to manage public anger and are calling for a ceasefire. Turkish leaders have also expressed their discontent with the war, primarily directed at Israel. Although the conflict in Gaza may impede Turkey's efforts to normalize relations with Israel and the West, the Turkish government also derives some benefits from the war.
Erdogan’s Palestine Rally in Istanbul: All Quiet in Ankara

Erdogan’s Palestine Rally in Istanbul: All Quiet in Ankara

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 29 October 2023
This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered two passionate speeches, strongly criticizing the Israeli government. This is not his first critique of Israel since the recent outbreak of the Israel-Palestine crisis, which began on October 7.

Reports - Turkey

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.
TURKEY'S GROWING ROLE IN GLOBAL COCAINE TRAFFICKING

TURKEY'S GROWING ROLE IN GLOBAL COCAINE TRAFFICKING

by Dr. İmdat Öner, Halil Çavuş, Ömer Güler and Mustafa Enes Esen, published on 17 September 2024
This report focuses on Turkey's prominence as an emerging market for cocaine trafficking and organized crime in the last decade. Cocaine production in Latin America has dramatically increased since 2013, and Turkey’s status as an emerging market has attracted the attention of Latin American government officials on the front lines of the cocaine trade.

Videos - Turkey

Türkiye'deki 31 Mart Yerel Seçimleri ve Fakirleşmenin Ahı

April 1, 2024
by Ömer Güler, published on 1 April 2024
Ömer Güler 31 Mart yerel seçim sonuçlarını, CHP'nin başarısını ve AKP'nin kan kaybını çeşitli boyutlarıyla değerlendirdi.

Moskova ile Ankara’nın Ortak Zaafı

March 25, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 25 March 2024
instituDE Dış Politika Analisti Haşim Tekineş katıldığı programda Moskova'da IŞiD tarafından 22 Mart'ta düzenlenen terör saldırısını Türkiye'yi ilgilendiren boyutlarıyla anlattı.

Moskova Saldırısı ve IŞID'in Horasan Kolu

March 25, 2024
Moskova saldırısının arkasındaki Isis-K, yani Işid Horasan grubu kim? Saldırının arkasındaki motivasyon ne? Neden Moskova? Saldırganların Türkiye bağlantısı ne anlama geliyor? instituDE politika analisti Haşim Tekineş tüm bu soruların cevaplarını ele aldı.

Erdoğan Kahire'ye, F16'lar Türkiye'ye, F35'ler Yunanistan'a

February 18, 2024
by Ömer Güler and Haşim Tekineş, published on 18 February 2024
Ömer Güler ve Haşim Tekineş Erdoğan'ın Mısır ziyaretini, Bilal Erdoğan'ın ziyarette protokolde yer almasını, F-16 alımına dair ABD Senatosu'nun onayını, Yunanistan'ın F-35 alımını ve Ege'de hava gücü üstünlüğünde Yunaninstan'ın avantajlı hale gelmesini ele aldılar.

Putin Ankara Ziyaretini Neden İptal Etti?

February 9, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 9 February 2024
#Rusya'da ve #Türkiye'de Mart ayında yapılacak seçimlere yaklaşılırken, #Putin bu hafta Türkiye'ye yapacağını duyurduğu ziyareti iptal etti. #DışGündem'de Haşim Tekineş bu gelişmeyi değerlendirdi.

Türkiye ve Venezuela arasındaki benzerlikler

January 15, 2024
by İmdat Öner, published on 15 January 2024
Latin Amerika uzmanı İmdat Öner katıldığı programda Türkiye ve Venezuela arasındaki benzerlikleri ekonomik, idari ve hukuki yönleri dahil tüm boyutlarıyla