The Ukraine-Russia ceasefire and Iran-Europe nuclear talks are being hosted by Türkiye this week in Istanbul, with a two-day interval between them. The Ukrainian and Russian delegations will hold their third round of talks this year on Wednesday, July 23, in İstanbul. The discussions will focus on ceasefire conditions, but the likelihood of reaching an
In Turkish politics, the threat of imprisonment has reached CHP leader Özgür Özel. Presidential decrees have been sent to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) to lift the parliamentary immunity of Özel and CHP İzmir MP Tuncay Özkan for trial. The reason is their accusation of the Court of Appeals members of staging a “coup
The İmamoğlu Crisis continues. Not only on the Turkish domestic political front, but also in terms of its effects on the economy. Foreign investors, preoccupied with the Russia-Ukraine crisis, noticed the Türkiye bleep on their radar screens by the detention of İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19. Following his arrest by the court,
İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on March 23rd by an İstanbul Court on duty on charges of “bid rigging, recording personal data, bribery and establishing an organization of interest”. İmamoğlu was not arrested on charges of aiding the PKK within the framework of the “urban reconciliation” with Kurdish politicians but nevertheless
İstanbul’s opposition CHP member Metropolitan Mayor (IBB) Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained from his home on the morning of March 19. At 06:15 in the morning, the police arrived with a force of 20 vehicles at his official residence in Rumelihisarı district. They detained İmamoğlu within the framework of the investigation opened by the Istanbul Chief
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu faces another criminal case, this time for allegedly threatening Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, lists Prosecutor Gürlek as the “victim” and seeks a prison sentence ranging from 2 years 8 months to 7 years 4 months. The charges against İmamoğlu
By Mehmet Öğütçü and Rainer Geiger The Middle East, scarred by years of political instability and economic upheaval, finds itself at a critical juncture. The crises in Syria and Lebanon lay bare the region’s fragility in stark terms. Yet, within this profound crisis lies a unique opportunity to rebuild the Middle East anew. No single
On March 31, Türkiye will once again exercise its democratic right to vote in local government elections. Yet, this election transcends mere local political dynamics; it stands as a pivotal moment shaping the trajectory of Turkish politics at large. In the wake of the May 23 general elections, Türkiye’s political landscape is undergoing significant shifts,
We are heading towards one of the most unfair and unequal elections in our history on March 31st. Despite its being a local elections, its results will have profound effects on Turkish poltical landscape, especially in Istanbul. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seems to have mobilized the entire state machinery to prevent the re-election of Istanbul’s