Opinions - Turkey

Turkey and Israel: Diplomacy Under the Shadow of Gaza

Turkey and Israel: Diplomacy Under the Shadow of Gaza

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 20 October 2023
In this current crisis, Turkey has pursued a diplomatic approach aimed at de-escalation, facilitating humanitarian aid access for Palestinian civilians. Nevertheless, the mounting tension, especially if Israel were to launch a ground operation in Gaza, could once again imperil the ongoing normalization efforts between the two countries.
The Downing of a Drone in Syria: Unlikely to Worsen Turkish-US Relations

The Downing of a Drone in Syria: Unlikely to Worsen Turkish-US Relations

by Enes Esen, published on 14 October 2023
The typical pattern for the Turkish government, whenever there is a high-profile terrorist attack on its soil, is as follows: issuing a firm condemnation of terrorism, conducting numerous arrests of individuals allegedly linked to the organization blamed for the attack, and launching airstrikes against facilities of terrorist organizations in Syria or Iraq.
How Turkey Reacted to Hamas Attacks

How Turkey Reacted to Hamas Attacks

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 9 October 2023
Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 has mostly received a welcoming reaction in Turkey. While President Erdogan has called on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to exercise restraint, other Turkish political leaders have mostly supported the Palestinians. They deliberately avoided criticizing Hamas militants for violence against Israeli civilians.
Dağlık Karabağ’da Ermenilerin Varlığı Neden Önemli?

Dağlık Karabağ’da Ermenilerin Varlığı Neden Önemli?

by Enes Esen, published on 29 September 2023
Azerbaycan’ın Dağlık Karabağ’daki son askeri operasyonu sonrasında bölgedeki Ermeniler neredeyse kayıtsız şartsız denebilecek şekilde teslim olmuştu. 28 Eylül günü açıklama yapan Dağlık Karabağ’ın Başkanı Samvel Şahramanyan da 1 Ocak 2024 itibariyle bölge yönetiminin tamamen feshedileceğini açıkladı. Azerbaycan’ın Karabağ’ı devralmasından önce Ermeniler kitlesel olarak bölgeyi terk ediyor.
Loneliness Kills

Loneliness Kills

by Ömer Güler, published on 22 September 2023
I am writing this article because reading "The Lonely Century" made me better understand the persecution that I and millions of others have been suffering in Turkey after the failed, or as many argue, staged or controlled, 15 July coup attempt in 2016.
African Civil Wars and Turkey’s Involvement in Sudan

African Civil Wars and Turkey’s Involvement in Sudan

by Enes Esen, published on 17 September 2023
Sudan's army chief, General al-Burhan, paid an official visit to Turkey on September 13. The Sudanese delegation included Foreign Minister al-Sadiq, intelligence chief Lieutenant General Mufaddal, and most importantly, Director General of the Defense Industries Corporation, Lieutenant General Mirghani Idris Suleiman. This composition suggested that the head of the Sudanese army's visit to Ankara was not merely a charm offensive but also aimed at securing weapons purchases.

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