Turkey elections

Ballot papers are counted after members of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipal Council cast their votes to elect an interim deputy mayor.

Turkey deports BBC reporter as detentions near 1,880 amid protest crackdown

A BBC journalist was deported as Turkish authorities widened their media crackdown, with around 250 people having been detained pending trial during protests.

Newly elected interim mayor of Istanbul, Nuri Aslan of CHP, waits to speak to the media on March 26, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey's opposition elects acting mayor as Imamoglu remains detained, protests persist

The Turkish president accuses opposition of sabotaging the economy amid ongoing detentions against protestors over the arrest of the Istanbul mayor.

Protesters clash with Turkish riot police using tear gas and water cannon during a demonstration following the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul in Ankara, on March 22, 2025.

Imamoglu's arrest triggers emergency market measures as Turkey stocks plunge

The Turkish lira and equities have fallen sharply since the arrest last week of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — on corruption charges, which he denies.

University student wave Turkish national flags as they gather in protest in Besiktas district in Istanbul on March 20, 2025 following Istanbul metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's detention over a corruption probe.

Analysis

Turkey’s shaky economy early casualty of Imamoglu’s arrest on terror charges

The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on dubious terror charges has rattled investor confidence, sending the lira plunging, triggering market turmoil and raising fears of prolonged political instability.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

In Paris, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Analysis

Erdogan’s enduring grip over Turkey assured with Imamoglu's arrest

Supporters of Istanbul metropolitan mayor Ekrem Imamoglu hold a poster of him as they demonstrate outside Istanbul townhall against his detention over a corruption probe in Istanbul on March 19, 2025.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

In Paris, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkish university revokes Imamoglu's degree, jeopardizing presidential bid

Ekrem Imamoglu

Analysis

2024 turnaround: Assad fall grants Turkey’s Erdogan electoral rebound

Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attends the third session of the G20 Leaders' meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Nov, 19, 2024.

Ezgi Akin

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

Exclusive

Turkey mulls peace talks with Kurds amid fears of Israeli strike on Iran

Supporters of the pro-Kurdish Peoples DEM Party attend a rally for the Turkish Municipal elections to be held on March 31, in Esenyurt Square, in Istanbul on Feb. 25, 2024.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

In Paris, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to supporters at Justice and Development Party headquarters, Ankara, Turkey, May 15, 2023.

Turkey Elections: Deepfakes, disinformation ‘misdirect’ voters ahead of runoff

False claims and montage videos have featured heavily in campaign leading to Sunday’s presidential rerun.

TOPSHOT - A huge electoral poster bearing a portrait of Turkish President and presidential candidate of AK Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a slogan which reads "Keep going with the right man" covers the facade of a high-rise building in Ankara, on May 23, 2023, ahead of the presidential election runoff on May 28, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Al-Monitor/Premise Turkey poll: Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu statistically tied in election runoff

The poll found the economy, refugees and justice stand out as the top three issues that the country faces, with 71% of respondents favoring an imminent return of refugees in the country.

Turkey elections

Turkey Elections: Fears of internet restrictions mount with over a dozen under Erdogan

With a critical presidential election runoff on Sunday, Turks are on high alert for potential censorship and internet shutdowns.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey Elections: Far-right Victory Party throws support behind Erdogan challenger

As Turkey enters the final stretch to the presidential runoff, the political tone has gotten harsher with name-calling and libel suits.

Syrian refugees living in the earthquake-affected areas of southeastern Turkey cross the Turkey-Syria border at the Cilvegozu border crossing, Turkey, February 19, 2023. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country's south-east in the early hours of February 6, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria, leaving behind more than 46,000 dead. (Photo by Konstantinos Tsakalidis / SOOC / SOOC via AFP) (Photo by KONS

Turkey Elections: Runoff becomes tug of war over Syrian refugees

As Turkey heads for its presidential runoff, the opposition and the government are in a race to send Syrians and other refugees back home in an effort to woo nationalist voters.

A man wearing a face mask leaves after changing money at an exchange office in Istanbul, Turkey, July 29, 2020.

Turkey Elections: Currency fears grow ahead of presidential runoff

Turkey’s foreign exchange crunch has become so grave that the authorities would even go for limiting cash withdrawals from credit cards to keep the Turkish lira from plunging.

Sinan Ogam and Recep Tayyip Erodgan

Turkey Elections: Ogan’s endorsement boosts Erdogan in Sunday’s runoff

The endorsement from Sinan Ogan, who received more than 5% in first round of vote, bolsters the president’s chances of winning Sunday's poll.

Sinan Ogan, Turkish academician and presidential candidate of the ATA (Ataturk) nationalist alliance speaks during an interview with AFP, in his office in Ankara, on May 16, 2023. Turkey's election officials confirmed that there would be a second round because the remaining uncounted votes would not swing the outcome. Erdogan secured 49.5 percent of the vote and Kilicdaroglu picked up 44.9 percent. Nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan -- a former member of a far-right party now allied with the government -- won

Breaking | Last Updated: May 22, 2023, 12:05 pm

Turkey Elections: Far-right Sinan Ogan throws support behind Erdogan

It remains unclear how the far-right politician's endorsement will impact the outcome of the consequential presidential runoff as his electoral partners rejected to toe his line.

Turkey election

Turkey’s new parliament: 50 shades of nationalism, conservatism

Turkey has ended up with the most nationalist and conservative parliament in its modern history, and where women, LGBT groups will face an uphill battle.

Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and AK Party (AKP) wave flags at the AK Party headquarters in Ankara, Turkey May 14, 2023.

Turkey Elections: Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu court far-right endorsement ahead of runoff

Far-right candidate Sinan Ogan's endorsement remains particularly critical for President Erdogan's rival, with merely nine days to go until the presidential election runoff.

Election workers prepare ballots at a polling station in Ankara on May 14, 2023.

Turkey's Erdogan says polls mark East-West fault line

A post-election Turkey may well become the "locus for the fault line between the liberal West and the illiberal East" instead of a bridge, as Erdogan has claimed during his time in office.

Leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the joint presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance, Kemal Kilicdaroglu gives a press conference in Ankara on May 18, 2023.

Turkey Elections: Erdogan rival ups nationalist tone, vows to send refugees home

Casting for nationalist votes in the presidential election runoff, opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu takes a sharpened tone on refugees. 