Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and key ally in Türkiye’s ruling coalition, has called on imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to “unilaterally declare the dissolution of his organization.” “Let the terrorist leader, who claimed he was ‘ready for any kind of service’ when brought to Türkiye, now step forward and unilaterally
The rhetoric of a “new and civil constitution” and “liberation from the coup constitution,” frequently voiced by ministers appointed by President Erdoğan and AK Party officials since 12 September 2023, is not resonating with the public. The weakest point of Erdoğan’s discourse is the ambiguity regarding the reasons behind proposing a new and civil constitution.
I wonder if it’s appropriate to describe the conspicuously close relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, as a “bromance.” This was on full display during the 953rd-anniversary celebrations of the Malazgirt Victory on August 26 in Ahlat, much to the chagrin of their opponents. Perhaps “strategic alliance” would be a
I first heard the phrase “Two states, one nation” from Abulfaz Elchibey. It was early 1992, just after Azerbaijan had declared independence from the Soviet Union. Elchibey was still officially banned from politics, but my colleagues Semih İdiz, Aziz Utkan, and I managed to interview him in a basement belonging to the Popular Front in
Israel is neither Libya nor Armenia, as President Erdoğan suggests, and Turkey is not Saddam’s Iraq, despite the unfortunate comparison made by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz. Understanding the increasingly tense and potentially dangerous dynamics between these two countries, which were once firmly aligned in this region, requires setting aside nonsense and adopting an action-oriented
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s recent visit to the Police Special Operations Department (PÖH) on July 15 was an evidence that the Turkish government has not learned anything from the July 15 2016 coup attempt. The reason lies behind a scene where Süleyman Karadeniz, Head of the Police Special Operations, welcomed Bahçeli at
Have you seen the 2010 short animation of Serge Avedikian called “Chienne d’histoire”? It tells the story of 80,000 stray dogs, forcibly rounded up and exiled to a remote island in Istanbul in 1910. The dogs died in a cruel manner with their cries echoing through Istanbul for days. The event known as “Hayırsızada Dog
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan faces “serious personal dangers” claimed opposition Gelecek (Future) Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu on July 12. During an interview with journalist Murat Sabuncu for the news site T24, Davutoğlu claims that there are “those within the state who think they are stronger than the state”. He said there is a danger of
Last week there were news reports about a possible meeting between President Tayyip Erdoğan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, where Erdoğan was present as a dialogue partner. His meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was of particular importance but Erdoğan met with leaders of a number of