Turkey elections

A protestor holds a placard of Istanbul's detained Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as they listen to the leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ozgur Ozel during a rally protesting the 100th day of his detention at Sarachane Square in Istanbul on July 1, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey detains 30 as government crackdown on opposition deepens: What to know

Detainees include officials from Istanbul and Antalya municipalities and their family members as part of an ongoing corruption investigation into the Republican People’s Party (CHP) that critics say is politically motivated.

An undated image of Enes Hocaogullari.

Turkey arrests youth delegate over Council of Europe address: What to know

The youth activist’s arrest adds to Ankara’s growing isolation as Turkey faces suspension from Europe’s top human rights body.

Mazlum Kobane, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during the pan-Kurdish "Unity and Consensus" conference in Qamishli in northeastern Syria, on April 26, 2025.

Analysis

Emboldened by Suwayda fallout, Syria’s Kurds hold their ground with Damascus

The Suwayda crisis boosts Kurdish confidence and threatens Erdogan’s bid to secure Kurdish support for a third term.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - JUNE 25: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks with President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L), as they arrive for the North Atlantic Council Plenary Session on the second day of the 2025 NATO Summit on June 25, 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands. Among other matters, members are to approve a new defense investment plan that raises the target for defense spending to 5% of GDP. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Analysis

From Caucasus to Iraq: How Israel’s war hands Turkey edge over Iran

After the war with Israel, a wounded Iran opens new doors for Turkey from Iraq to the Caucasus, but advancing its agenda could rekindle their rivalry.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Latest News

Turkey's spy chief heads for Iraq as PKK militants prepare to disarm

An Iraqi Kurdish man holds a flag with the portrait of jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan during a demonstration in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah on Oct. 10, 2019 against the Turkish offensive in northeastern Syria.

Analysis

Erdogan’s long game: How CHP court case could cripple Turkey’s opposition

Leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ozgur Ozel addresses the audience during a rally in Istanbul on April 9, 2025.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Turkey's Erdogan vows justice amid rage over alleged Prophet Muhammad cartoon

Protesters hold placards as they demonstrate against cartoonists of a satirical magazine following allegations that it had published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, outside Taksim mosque in Istanbul on July 1, 2025.

Turkish prosecutors probe main opposition leader Ozel, oust mayors

Ozgur Ozel, head of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), gestures toward supporters during a rally in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Ankara, April 23, 2025.

New Diyarbakir mayor backs opposition candidate in Istanbul election rerun

The new HDP mayor of Diyarbakir calls for a Kurdish vote against the AKP in Istanbul's mayoral election rerun and says his AKP predecessor has left Diyarbakir in the poorhouse.

People shop at a bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1956071CA0

Voters’ economic confidence dips ahead of key Istanbul vote

Turkey’s consumer confidence index, which also reflects voter confidence, has plunged to a record low ahead of a critical rerun of the mayoral election in Istanbul next month.

Ekrem Imamoglu, ousted Istanbul Mayor from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), is pictured during an interview with Reuters in Istanbul, Turkey, May 9, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1217162440

Polls show opposition candidate ahead as Istanbul rerun nears

Ekrem Imamoglu, who won the election as Istanbul mayor in March before he was forced to step down, has expanded his support ahead of the doover election on June 23.

Ekrem Imamoglu, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul mayoral candidate, speaks during his campaign coordination meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, May 22, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC17BEE871F0

Istanbul’s opposition candidate urges supporters to retain faith in ballot box

Ekrem Imamoglu launched his second election campaign for Istanbul mayor, pledging to cut the wastefulness he discovered during his brief tenure as mayor last month, before electoral officials canceled his victory.

Russian and Turkish delegations, led by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Tayyip Erdogan, attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia April 8, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC16BFAECE20

Turkey squeezed between Russia, US in Syria

Turkey, pressed between Russia and the United States, is headed toward a foreign policy crash in addition to an economic one.

Saadet Party leader Karamollaoglu speaks after meeting with Iyi Party leader Aksener at Iyi Party headquaters in Ankara, Turkey April 24, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC11C9891450

Turkey's Saadet Party could sway Istanbul elections

Turkey's fundamentalist Saadet Party will run its mayoral candidate in the June 23 repeat election in Istanbul, possibly tipping the results in favor of the opposition party.

Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) wave Turkish flags during a rally in Istanbul, Turkey, April 21, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1A63C855B0

Voters mysteriously added, subtracted for Istanbul election rerun

While Ankara lawyers express their disappointment that the government rescinded the results of the Istanbul mayoral election, voters are mysteriously added to and subtracted from the electoral roll for the June 23 do-over, even though the roll is supposed to remain the same as for the March 31 election.

Ekrem Imamoglu, ousted Istanbul Mayor from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), speaks during an interview with Reuters in Istanbul, Turkey, May 9, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC14F86613B0

Campaign for Istanbul do-over election underway

Opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, who narrowly won election as the city’s mayor in March, begins his campaign anew after electoral officials revoked his mandate this week. The ruling party says a rerun election will provide clarity after a bitterly disputed vote.

Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) wave Turkish flags during a gathering to protest after the High Election Board (YSK) decided to re-run the mayoral election, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC1DE2BFC030

Turkey's opposition protests, plans as date set for Istanbul re-vote

The announcement that the Istanbul mayoral election was going to be held again was greeted with the discordant sounds of clanging pots and pans, and supporters of opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu now face the difficult task of finding the recipe that can bring him victory again June 23.

Ekrem Imamoglu of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), who was elected mayor after the March 31 elections, addresses his supporters after the High Election Board (YSK) decided to re-run the mayoral election, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC134ED8A270

Erdogan could lose more than Istanbul in high-stakes electoral gamble

With many Turks outraged over the nullification of Istanbul's election results, the oppression of dissent and violence expected going into the rerun could backfire on the increasingly authoritarian president.

An election banner with the pictures of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and AK Party mayoral candidate Binali Yildirim is seen over the Galata bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1157E63D00

US holds its fire on Istanbul election nullification

The State Department says it is monitoring Turkey’s decision to scrap the Istanbul mayoral election results, but has so far refrained from directly weighing in.

Unlikely woman new heroine of Turkish opposition

The main opposition Istanbul chief criticizes the decision of Turkey's Supreme Electoral Board to annul the results of the Istanbul municipal elections, saying that official institutions should respect the choice of the people.