Opinions

In March 2023, the international legal arena witnessed an unprecedented case as the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking the first time a sitting head of state from a non-state party faced such action without a Security Council referral. This pivotal development raised complex questions, especially when combined with President Putin's invitation to South Africa for the BRICS Summit in August 2023.

Turkey’s tightening censorship regime continues to challenge its relations with the western countries. The Turkish authorities, last week, gave 72 hours for Voice of America (VOA) Türkçe and Deutsche Welle (DW) Türkçe to register as an internet broadcaster. Otherwise, they will either stop their activities or their administrative boards will face imprisonment in Turkey. Washington and Ankara want to configure their relationship on a transactional basis, but as Turkey’s authoritarian practices deepen, Turkey’s authoritarian drift continue to be a challenge for Turkish-American relations.

Nijer’de 26 Temmuz’da gerçekleşen darbenin akıbeti halen meçhul. General Tchiani liderliğindeki cunta ülke içindeki egemenliğini büyük ölçüde pekiştirmiş durumda. Öte yandan Batı Afrika Devletleri Ekonomik Topluluğu (ECOWAS) da devrik lider Bazoum’un göreve iadesi edilmemesi halinde Nijer’e askeri müdahale etme tehditlerinden geri adım atmış değil. Bu tarz tehditlerin bölgede gerginliği artırdığı gerçeği yadsınamaz. Ancak, ECOWAS’ın askeri müdahale seçeneğini Nijer’deki cuntayla yürütülen diplomatik müzakereleri destekleyen bir unsur olarak kullandığını akılda tutmak gerekiyor.

The potential employment of military force by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore democracy and order in Niger marks a pivotal moment in the Sahel region's pursuit of democratic governance. ECOWAS faces the challenge of balancing its commitment to democratic norms with the principle of non-interference in sovereign affairs. The prohibition of the use of force is a fundamental principle enshrined in the United Nations Charter, and any deviation from this principle requires a robust legal basis to ensure compliance with international norms.

President al-Sisi has faced extensive criticism for leading his country toward an authoritarian path. One of his fiercest critics was Turkey’s President Erdoğan, who did not mince his words about al-Sisi, calling him a tyrant, an oppressor, and a murderer. After a decade of feuding, the two leaders have apparently mended the fences. President Sisi was scheduled to visit Turkey on July 27th, marking the beginning of a new era between Cairo and Ankara. However, at the eleventh hour, he chose to cancel his trip.

Nijer’de Cumhurbaşkanlığı Muhafız Alayı’nın 26 Temmuz’da gerçekleştirdiği darbeyle Devlet Başkanı Mohamed Bazoum koltuğundan indirildi ve General Abdourahmane Tchiani’nin yeni Başkan olduğu ilan edildi. Sahraaltı Afrika’da artarda yapılan darbeler serisinin son halkası olan Nijer’deki bu darbe de mutat olduğu üzere Afrika Birliği, bölge ülkeleri ve Batılı devletler tarafından kınandı. Bazoum’un tekrar göreve iade edilmesi çağrısında bulunuldu.

On 14 June 2023, the European Parliament agreed on their version of the AI Act, and negotiations began with the European Council on the final form of the legislation. The act is expected to be passed into law by the end of 2023, establishing the EU as a leader in creating laws and regulations to address AI-related concerns and challenges.

Ukrayna savaşı ana gündemiyle toplanacak NATO Zirvesi 11-12 Temmuz tarihleri arasında Litvanya'nın başkenti Vilnius’ta düzenlenecek. Zirvede NATO’nun açıkça bir tehdit olarak adlandırdığı Rusya’ya karşı yeni savunma planları onaylanacak. Türkiye’nin İsveç’in NATO üyeliğine ilişkin vetosunu kaldırmasıyla Rusya’ya karşı daha güçlü bir birlik mesajı verilecek. Kısacası sonu tehlikeli vadilere giden yeni bir silahlanma yarışının yaşandığı dünyamızda, NATO liderleri bölgesel ve küresel güvenlik politikalarını ve savaş planlarını gözden geçirecek.

Hollanda'da bir hükümetin gitmesi ve diğerinin gelmesi çoğu zaman izlenen politikalarda köklü değişikliklere neden olmamaktadır. Bu da esasen siyasi istikrar demektir. Örneğin son yaşanan kriz bir anda ülkenin kapılarının tüm göçmenlere/mültecilere kapatılması anlamına gelmemektedir. Bir sonraki koalisyonu oluşturacak siyasi partiler bir araya gelerek bu soruna hukuka uygun bir çözüm bulacaklardır.

Turkey’s main opposition party, CHP, has not yet recovered from the trauma of its recent election defeat. Despite the challenges posed by President Erdogan's extensive access to public resources for campaigning, his complete control over the media, and various election manipulations, it was a notable achievement for Kilicdaroglu to secure 48% of the votes. However, a segment of the opposition holds the view that Kilicdaroglu, who has been leading the party for 13 years, cannot fully realize the CHP’s potential. This discrepancy between expectations and reality is causing instability within the CHP's leadership.

The US and Swedish authorities are currently investigating graft allegations involving Bilal Erdoğan, the son of Turkey's President, according to a Reuters special report. These allegations have significant implications, as they could constitute a criminal offense under certain circumstances. However, as the report points out, there is a possibility that they may not even lead to formal charges. Interestingly, the Turkish side seems to have minimal interest in the substance of the allegations or its judicial implications.

About eight years after the migration deal with Turkey in 2016, the European Union seeks to make a similar agreement, this time with Tunisia. President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte paid a visit to Tunis on June 11 and had discussions with Tunisian President Kais Saied. The main topic was a “comprehensive partnership package” in which the EU has offered financial assistance of more than 1 billion euros to assist the ailing Tunisian economy in return for ending the migrant crossings to Europe.