Opinions - Turkey

Sinan Ogan: Exploring the New Generation Ultra-Nationalist's Outlook on Turkish Foreign Policy

Sinan Ogan: Exploring the New Generation Ultra-Nationalist's Outlook on Turkish Foreign Policy

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 25 May 2023
Sinan Ogan emerged as a notable surprise during the initial round of the Turkish Presidential elections on May 14. Despite his limited recognition among voters and a modest campaign budget, his vote share, which exceeded 5 percent, is a significant achievement. Notably, his endorsement of Erdogan's campaign in the second round opens up the possibility of him playing a role in the forthcoming cabinet.
14 MAYIS SEÇİMLERİ ÜZERİNE GENEL BİR DEĞERLENDİRME

14 MAYIS SEÇİMLERİ ÜZERİNE GENEL BİR DEĞERLENDİRME

by Bahadır Gülle, published on 15 May 2023
İlk turu önde bitiren Erdoğan’ın ikinci turda kaybetmesi imkansıza yakın. Tüm devlet kurumları, medyanın tamamına yakını ve halkın yarıya yakınının desteğini almış; mecliste çoğunluğu ele geçirmiş, kitlesi motive, morali yüksek bir Erdoğan muhtemelen oylarını daha da artırarak 2. turda rahat şekilde seçilecek.
Offering Guarantees for a Smooth Transition in Turkey

Offering Guarantees for a Smooth Transition in Turkey

by Enes Esen, published on 12 May 2023
The first round of Turkey's highly anticipated elections is scheduled to take place on May 14th. Political analysts have focused their attention primarily on the prospects of the opposition alliance's candidate, Kılıçdaroğlu, emerging as the victor, a genuine possibility as indicated by several recent polls. Nonetheless, concerns are widespread about the consequences if Erdoğan refuses to concede and the ensuing instability.
Seçim Sonucunu Tanımayan Dünya Liderleri ve Sonrası

Seçim Sonucunu Tanımayan Dünya Liderleri ve Sonrası

by instituDE, published on 8 May 2023
Seçim gecesi neler yaşanabileceğine dair ipuçlarını görmek amacıyla dünyanın her kıtasından bazı örneklerle seçime hile karıştıran, kaybettiği halde görevi bırakmamak için direnen liderlerin ülkelerinde ne gibi sorunlara yol açtığını, sürecin nasıl işlediğini ve nasıl sonuçlandığını kısaca ele almak istiyoruz.
Kilicdaroglu Should Have a Strategy for Election Denialism

Kilicdaroglu Should Have a Strategy for Election Denialism

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 3 May 2023
As there are only days to Turkey’s general elections, the opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, is closer to a victory more than ever. Most polls show Kilicdaroglu ahead of Erdogan for months. Polls can always be misleading, but in Kilicdaroglu’s case, his nationwide popularity supports the numbers. Even in Van, an Eastern Anatolian city where the Republican Party has been historically weaker, an unprecedented crowd welcomed Kilicdaroglu. This is certainly good news for the opposition. But the question of election security still waits for an answer.
THE PROLIFERATION OF BAYRAKTAR TB2 DRONES AND THEIR RISKS

THE PROLIFERATION OF BAYRAKTAR TB2 DRONES AND THEIR RISKS

by Enes Esen, Engin Büker and Yüksel Akkale, published on 7 April 2023
Turkish armed drones, in particular, have become one of the most sought-after UAVs in recent years. The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV Bayraktar TB2 drone, one of many produced by the Turkish arms industry, has been exported to 24 countries. Although the Turkish government has not publicly stated where Turkish armed drones have been exported, the list reportedly includes Qatar, Libya, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Morocco, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Somalia, Pakistan, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Togo, Niger, Nigeria, Polonia, Romania, Algeria, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, and Senegal.

Reports - Turkey

TURKEY'S RARE ELEMENTS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES - THE BEYLİKOVA CASE

TURKEY'S RARE ELEMENTS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES - THE BEYLİKOVA CASE

by Mustafa Enes Esen, Ömer Güler, Harun Güngör and Dr. İmdat Öner, published on 21 May 2026
This report is addressed to two audiences simultaneously: Turkish policymakers weighing how to develop the Beylikova deposit, and Western governments and companies assessing whether Turkey is a credible partner in their supply chain diversification strategies. It examines both the opportunities Turkey’s entry into the rare earth sector could realistically generate and the structural obstacles that stand between the current situation and those outcomes.
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.

Videos - Turkey

BM'den AİHM'e Yusuf Bilge Tunç Uyarısı

August 23, 2024
By Hakan Kaplankaya and Haşim Tekineş, published on 23 August 2024
Bu yayınımızda Hakan Kaplankaya, Ağustos 2019'da kaçırılan ve kendisinden hala haber alınamayan KHK'lı Yusuf Bilge Tunç hakkındaki AİHM'in verdiği olayda ihlal olmadığı kararını, konuya ilişkin BM İnsan Hakları Komitesi'nin 19 Ağustos 2024'te verdiği kararı ele aldı.

Rusya İşgal Altında

August 16, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 16 August 2024
Haftanın önemli uluslararası gündemlerinden Ukrayna'nın Rusya topraklarına girmesini, Gazze'de şiddetin devam edişini, ateşkes görüşmelerini, Biden'ın görevdeki son üç ayında Gazze savaşına dair adım atma olasılığı, Mahmut Abbas'ın Türkiye temasları ile ABD seçim sürecine dair son gelişmeleri ele aldılar.

Gazze ve İnstagram

August 10, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş, Ali Dinçer and Harun R. Halisoğlu, published on 18 August 2024
Ali Dinçer, Harun Reşit Halisoğlu ve Haşim Tekineş Türkiye'nin Uluslararası Adalet Divanı'nda görülen #Gazze soykırım davasına müdahil olmasını, #CHP'nin #Paris çıkarmasını, #İngiltere'de yaşanan sokak olaylarını ve Türkiye'de bu hafta getirilen #İnstagram yasağını ele aldılar.

Haftanın Ortası - Suikastler, Savaşlar ve Seçimler

August 1, 2024
by Ali Dinçer and Haşim Tekineş, published on 1 August 2024
Ali Dinçer ve Haşim Tekineş'in haftanın öne çıkan uluslararası gündemlerini ele aldıkları yeni yayınımızda, İsrail'in Hamas liderlerine yönelik suikast saldırıları, Erdoğan'ın İsrail'e yönelik açıklamaları, bölgesel savaş senaryoları ve ABD seçim sürecine ilişkin son gelişmeler değerlendirildi.

Trump Turkiye'ye Ne Yapar?

July 18, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 18 July 2024
ABD Başkanlık Seçimlerini kazanacağı tahmin edilen Trump'ın 2. dönemi beraberinde neler getirecek? instituDE dış politika analisti Haşim Tekineş yanıtladı.

Hakan Fidan'dan Çin'in Uygur Politikasına Destek

June 18, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş, published on 17 June 2024
#DışGündem'de instituDE Dış Politika Analisti Haşim Tekineş, #HakanFidan'ın 3-5 Haziran tarihlerinde #Çin ve #Uygur bölgesine yaptığı ziyareti çeşitli boyutlarıyle ele aldı.