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.

Economic woes set to seal fate of Turkey’s local polls

Public opinion polls show that economic problems have climbed to the top of the Turkish public’s concerns and electoral support for the ruling party is on the decline ahead of municipal elections in March.

First Russian female running for mayor of Turkish city

Russian-born Anastasia Petrova Cetinkaya is running for mayor of Turkey's southern resort city of Alanya in a bid to better serve residents and strengthen the two countries' bilateral relations.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC15DCD0F010

Turkey, US discuss Syria buffer zone as Manbij attack kills American troops

Russia's foreign minister calls for Syrian control of areas after US withdrawal; IS suicide bomber kills 16 in Manbij; more worries expressed about election fairness in Turkey.

A young boy masked with a green flag gestures during a "World Peace Day" rally gathering supporters of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakir, on September 1, 2018. (Photo by STR / AFP) (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Kurds in Turkey unite to take aim at Ankara in elections

Saying they have taken enough abuse, Kurds in Turkey have formed an alliance to strengthen their standing in upcoming elections.

People shop in an old bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, June 14, 2018. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RC16883D3170

Turkish opposition media ridicule pre-election 'bribe'

With an eye on the March elections, the Turkish government, under the lead of the Justice and Development Party, is providing citizens with relief from credit card debt — a move the opposition deems bribery.

Istanbul, the flashpoint of Turkey’s crisis and looming elections

Turkey’s commercial capital, Istanbul, is in the grips of economic turmoil, which raises the prospect of the city’s local administration changing hands after more than two decades of dominance by political Islam.

Relatives of people who were killed during the anti-government protests attend a demonstration to mark the fifth anniversary of Gezi Park protests, in central Istanbul, Turkey May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC18CEE83EE0

How real are Erdogan’s ‘second Gezi’ worries?

Turkey’s president and his far-right ally have come to issue harsh warnings against opposition protests, but in the absence of any sign that such protests could erupt, their real aim appears to be to nourish polarization.

Police chief's murder stuns Turkey

A distinguished police chief from Rize was gunned down by a disgruntled officer, while Turkish media focused today on the possibility that the country's two main opposition parties may get behind a unified candidate for Ankara's mayoral elections in March.

Supporters watch large screens as they listen to the Selahattin Demirtas, presidential candidate of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) speak during an election campaign in Istanbul on June 17, 2018. - The Turkish president announced on April 18, 2018 that Turkey will hold snap parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24, 2018. The presidential and parliamentary elections were scheduled to be held in November 2019, but government has decided to change the date following the recommendatio

Turkish appeals court upholds conviction of top Kurdish politician

Two weeks after a European rights court calls for Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas' release from prison, a Turkish appeals court confirms his conviction.

People gather to mark the fourth anniversary of the Gezi Park protests in central Istanbul, Turkey, May 31, 2017. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RC1BB0D99540

Gezi protests return to Turkish headlines after latest arrests

Erdogan lashes out at opposition for questioning his take on who was behind the 2013 Gezi protests; various political parties discuss deals for March 2019 local elections.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses teachers and students at Kabatas High School in Istanbul, Turkey September 18, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC15BE5F08A0

Why Erdogan is unhappy with return of nationalist student oath

After the Turkish judiciary announced it would be bringing back a nationalist school oath done away with in 2013, President Erdogan has seized on the opportunity to benefit him in several political battles.

One vote, three corpses

How a referendum in Turkey tore apart a village and a family