Opinions - Turkey

Turkey’s Growing Alignment with Pakistan Risks Friction with India

Turkey’s Growing Alignment with Pakistan Risks Friction with India

by Enes Esen, published on 29 May 2025
India’s perception is that Ankara is not only favoring Islamabad diplomatically, but also materially bolstering its defense capacity in ways that impact the regional military balance. For Turkey, engaging Pakistan should not necessarily come at the expense of ties with India. Yet Turkey’s current policy risks reinforcing precisely that trajectory.
KRG’s Energy Deals Will Likely Proceed Without a Turkish Route

KRG’s Energy Deals Will Likely Proceed Without a Turkish Route

by Enes Esen, published on 23 May 2025
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced a landmark deal with two American companies, HKN Energy and WesternZagros, to develop oil and gas fields in northern Iraq. Nonetheless, the government in Baghdad promptly declared the deal null and void, while the KRG maintained that it was both legal and legitimate under Iraq’s constitution.
Adım Adım Türkiye-Suriye Serbest Ticaret Anlaşması’na Doğru

Adım Adım Türkiye-Suriye Serbest Ticaret Anlaşması’na Doğru

by Mehmet Demirbaş, published on 14 May 2025
Yaklaşık 14 yıl önce Suriye iç savaşının başlamasıyla birlikte askıya alınan Türkiye-Suriye Serbest Ticaret Anlaşması’nın yeniden gündeme gelme ihtimali güçlenmiş durumda.
PKK'nın Kendini Feshetmesinin Sonuçlarına Dair Uzmanlarımızın Görüşleri

PKK'nın Kendini Feshetmesinin Sonuçlarına Dair Uzmanlarımızın Görüşleri

by Ömer Güler, Enes Esen, and Ahmet Kalafat published on 13 May 2025
12 Mayıs'ta PKK kendini feshettiğini duyurdu. 40 yıllık kanlı bir devrin sonuna gelindi ama sürecin sonuçlarının ne olabileceğine dair farklı görüşler var. Uzmanlarımıza bu soruyu sorduk ve cevapları sizin için derledik.
Sectarian Violence in Syria May Draw in Foreign Powers—Again

Sectarian Violence in Syria May Draw in Foreign Powers—Again

by Enes Esen, published on 1 May 2025
The latest unrest in Syria was precipitated by the circulation of a voice recording, allegedly made by a member of the Druze community, that insulted the Prophet Muhammad. The violence initially erupted in Jaramana and subsequently spread to Sahnaya, a predominantly Druze area on the outskirts of Damascus.
Why Turkey Is Missing from the Negotiations on Ukraine and Iran

Why Turkey Is Missing from the Negotiations on Ukraine and Iran

by Enes Esen, published on 27 April 2025
Negotiations are currently underway to end the war in Ukraine and to strike a new nuclear deal with Iran. Given this proximity and high stakes for Turkey, it would seem natural for Ankara to play a role in these diplomatic efforts. Yet despite closely monitoring developments in both theaters, Turkey remains notably absent from the negotiation tables. Several reasons help explain why.

Reports - Turkey

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.
WEAPONIZING FINANCIAL SYSTEMS: ERDOĞAN'S TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION TO MUZZLE DISSIDENTS ABROAD

WEAPONIZING FINANCIAL SYSTEMS: ERDOĞAN'S TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION TO MUZZLE DISSIDENTS ABROAD

by Dr. Yasir Gökçe, Mayra Russo and Sara Kezia Heinonen, published on 29 August 2024
This report sets out to provide a comprehensive analysis of the tactics employed by the Erdoğan administration to achieve repressive goals abroad and the vulnerabilities and how they are enabled by the AML and CFT regulation in place.
ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES BY THE ERDOGAN GOVERNMENT

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES BY THE ERDOGAN GOVERNMENT

by instituDE, published in June 2024
This submission highlights the ongoing systematic actions and omissions by Turkish authorities against the so-called members of the Gulen Group, framed as crimes against humanity. It demonstrates the violations of recommendations that even Türkiye has supported.

Videos - Turkey

Avrupa'ya İltica Etmek Zorlaşıyor Mu?

April 22, 2024
by Haşim Tekineş and Mehmet Bozkaya, published on 22 April 2024
Haşim Tekineş ve Mehmet Bozkaya Avrupa Birliği'nin yeni iltica ve göç paktını ele aldılar. Yeni mevzuat hangi değişiklikleri beraberinde getirecek? Mevzuat ne zaman yürürlüğe girecek? Mevzuata ilişkin eleştiriler neler? Türkiye'den gelen başvurucular için yeni mevzuatın etkileri neler olacak? Bu soruların yanıtları ve daha fazlası yayınımızda.

Ortadoğu Isınırken 3. Dünya Savaşına Ne Kadar Yakınız?

April 20, 2024
Ramazan F. Güzel'in hazırladığı Tv FOCUS GÜNDEM KONUĞU: Dış Politika Uzmanı/ Institute for Diplomacy Economy'den Dış Politika Uzmanı Haşim Tekineş @hasimtekines : İran İsrail geriliminin perde arkasında yaşananlar, - Yaşananlar bir tiyatro muydu, yoksa başka dinamikler mi var? - Gerilimin İran, İsrail, Netanyahu, Molla Rejimi için kazanımları ve Filistin'in konumu. - Gerilim bölgeye sıçrayıp bir 3. Dünya Savaşına yol açar mı, bunu isteyenler var mı? - Böyle bir savaştan Türkiye nasıl etkilenir ve neler yapmalı...?

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.