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Saturday, June 29, 2019

A Wounded Erdogan Could Be Even More Dangerous - Antiwar.com Original

A Wounded Erdogan Could Be Even More Dangerous

The Turkish leader’s party has lost Istanbul, but Erdogan may respond by provoking a foreign policy crisis to consolidate his power.

by Conn Hallinan Posted on June 29, 2019
For the second time in a row, Turkish voters have rebuked President Recep Tayyir Erdogan’s handpicked candidate for the mayoralty of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest and wealthiest city. The secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, swamped Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate Binali Yildirim in an election that many see as a report card on the president’s over 16 years in power.

More:A Wounded Erdogan Could Be Even More Dangerous - Antiwar.com Original

Friday, June 28, 2019

Erdoğan’s rule may end before 2023 elections - analysis | Ahval

Erdoğan’s rule may end before 2023 elections - analysis

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose party lost Istanbul to the opposition, may not succeed in holding his office until the next presidential elections in 2023, U.S. weekly newspaper The National Herald said on Thursday.

More:Erdoğan’s rule may end before 2023 elections - analysis | Ahval

Internal documents show Turkey's highest court rejecting appeals out of hand | Ahval

Internal documents show Turkey's highest court rejecting appeals out of hand
(Updated)

The website of Turkey’s Constitutional Court (AYM) has been shut down after an apparent fault revealed template judgements that appeared to show the court rejecting appeals before they had been lodged, journalist Kemal Göktaş reported for Diken.

More:Internal documents show Turkey's highest court rejecting appeals out of hand | Ahval

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Voice of Istanbul - The Statesman

Voice of Istanbul

In contrast, Binali Yildirim, the ruling AKP candidate, received 45 per cent of the votes. Four months ago, the denial of victory to Imamoglu by the High Electoral Council was faintly reminiscent of the predicament of Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar in 1991.

More:Voice of Istanbul - The Statesman

Whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey: Erdogan loses Istanbul but can he rule till 2023?

Whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey: Erdogan loses Istanbul but can he rule till 2023?

The next national election is not due till 2023. But can Turkey’s strongman hold on to his office till then ? After 16 years in power, Erdogan and his party show chinks in the armour

More:Whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey: Erdogan loses Istanbul but can he rule till 2023?

Opponents of Turkey’s erratic president should try harder - Istanbul stands up to a bully

Opponents of Turkey’s erratic president should try harder
After an opposition victory in Istanbul, rumours swirl of a ruling-party split

Jun 29th 2019
What did he think he was playing at? When Turkey’s autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strong-armed his country’s electoral watchdog into annulling the result of a mayoral election his party had lost in March, it looked like an obvious blunder. Surely, many observers thought, the people of Istanbul would furiously resent having their votes overruled, and flock in bigger numbers than before to support the opposition man, Ekrem Imamoglu? Unless, of course, Mr Erdogan had a sinister plan up his sleeve to rig the new election.

more;Opponents of Turkey’s erratic president should try harder - Istanbul stands up to a bully

News Analysis: Turkish president likely to make changes in ruling party after Istanbul re-election defeat - Xinhua | English.news.cn

News Analysis: Turkish president likely to make changes in ruling party after Istanbul re-election defeat

Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-26 01:25:18|Editor: Yamei
ANKARA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Sunday's polls in Istanbul, the biggest city of Turkey with 15 million residents, seen as a sample of political tendencies in the country, were a test for the ruling party, said local experts.

More:News Analysis: Turkish president likely to make changes in ruling party after Istanbul re-election defeat - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

The Istanbul Revote: What Happens Next? - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

The Istanbul Revote: What Happens Next?
Soner Cagaptay, Lisel Hintz, Kemal Kirisci, and Alan Makovsky

June 26, 2019

Four experts discuss the opposition's landslide victory and its implications for Turkish politics generally and President Erdogan's future specifically.

More:The Istanbul Revote: What Happens Next? - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Democracy pushes back against Erdogan in Turkey - Los Angeles Times

Democracy pushes back against Erdogan in Turkey
By THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD
JUN 25, 2019 | 3:05 AM

On the surface, Sunday’s mayoral election in Istanbul centered on garbage collection, water service and other municipal issues. But it was ultimately a referendum on the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the increasingly oppressive rule of his Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP).

More:Democracy pushes back against Erdogan in Turkey - Los Angeles Times

Imamoglu Won the Vote, but Can He Save Istanbul? – Foreign Policy

Imamoglu Won the Vote, but Can He Save Istanbul?

The new mayor will preside over a city that people are fleeing in droves.

More:Imamoglu Won the Vote, but Can He Save Istanbul? – Foreign Policy

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Erdogan's Miscalculations Fueled Emergence of Potential Rival - Bloomberg

How Erdogan's Own Mistakes Helped Fuel the Popularity of a New Rival
By Selcan Hacaoglu and Firat Kozok
June 25, 2019, 4:00 AM GMT+2

A series of miscalculations and a refusal to recognize the depth of discontent with a weakening economy and years of divisive rule handed Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the biggest setback of his career.

Four major factors helped Ekrem Imamoglu, a little-known Istanbul district mayor, trounce the candidate from Erdogan’s ruling AK Party on Sunday night and cruise to victory in the repeat election the president demanded.

More:Erdogan's Miscalculations Fueled Emergence of Potential Rival - Bloomberg

bne IntelliNews - TURKEY INSIGHT: Imamoglu earthquake — Has Erdogan thrown in the towel?

TURKEY INSIGHT: Imamoglu earthquake — Has Erdogan thrown in the towel?

By Akin Nazli in Belgrade June 24, 2019
Don’t waste too much time on this question. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not thrown in the towel. This conjuror, this polariser, who has made life in Turkey miserable for so many Turks since 2002—first as PM, then as president, and next as the nearly all-powerful executive president—will be back for another round.

more:bne IntelliNews - TURKEY INSIGHT: Imamoglu earthquake — Has Erdogan thrown in the towel?

Monday, June 24, 2019

Turkey: How will AK Party try to fix erosion of electoral base? | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Al Jazeera

Turkey: How will AK Party try to fix erosion of electoral base?
A big defeat for Turkey's ruling party in the rerun of Istanbul's mayoral election.
Inside Story24 Jun 2019 19:01 GMT Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Elections, AK Party

It took a quarter of a century, but Turkey's opposition has finally worked out how to defeat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

More:Turkey: How will AK Party try to fix erosion of electoral base? | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Al Jazeera

Istanbul mayoral vote: Is ‘disastrous’ loss beginning of Erdogan’s end? - BBC News

Istanbul mayoral vote: Is ‘disastrous’ loss beginning of Erdogan’s end?
By Mark Lowen

The defeat of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP party ends 25 years of its rule in Istanbul
As the scale of Ekrem Imamoglu's victory became clear, his supporters thronged his election headquarters. Lining the street outside was a row of cameras. Among them: Turkey's state broadcaster TRT, heavily under the thumb of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

More:Istanbul mayoral vote: Is ‘disastrous’ loss beginning of Erdogan’s end? - BBC News

For Erdogan, the Bill for Turkey’s Debt-Fueled Growth Comes Due - The New York Times

For Erdogan, the Bill for Turkey’s Debt-Fueled Growth Comes Due
Turkey’s strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, voting Sunday in Istanbul’s mayoral election. His candidate was defeated.

By Peter S. Goodman
June 24, 2019

The shocking rebuke of Turkey’s governing party in Sunday’s mayoral election in Istanbul resonated as more than a yearning for new leadership in the nation’s largest city. It signaled mounting despair over the economic disaster that has befallen the nation under the strongman rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

More:For Erdogan, the Bill for Turkey’s Debt-Fueled Growth Comes Due - The New York Times

Istanbul erupts into celebration after landmark victory for opposition party – video | Global | The Guardian

Istanbul erupts into celebration after landmark victory for opposition party – video

Tens of thousands of people celebrated on the streets of Istanbul as main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem Imamoglu claimed a decisive victory in the city’s re-run election. Imamoglu's win dealt one of the biggest blows to President Tayyip Erdogan during his 16 years in power and promises a new beginning in the country's largest city. The election was Istanbul's second in three months after results of an initial March vote were scrapped. Imamoglu, mayoral candidate of the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP), was leading with 54% of votes versus 45% for Erdogan's AK Party (AKP) candidate, with more than 99% of ballots opened

More:Istanbul erupts into celebration after landmark victory for opposition party – video | Global | The Guardian

UPDATE 1-Turkish lira firms after opposition wins Istanbul election - Reuters

UPDATE 1-Turkish lira firms after opposition wins Istanbul election
2 MIN READ

ISTANBUL, June 24 (Reuters) - The Turkish lira strengthened overnight after the opposition dealt a stinging blow to President Tayyip Erdogan by winning control of Istanbul in a re-run mayoral election on Sunday.

More:UPDATE 1-Turkish lira firms after opposition wins Istanbul election - Reuters

Signs of Democratic Life in Turkey - WSJ

Signs of Democratic Life in Turkey
Erdogan tries to steal an election but creates a new rival.

0:00 / 0:00

By The Editorial Board
June 23, 2019 3:43 pm ET
Good news is rare in Turkey these days, but on Sunday voters in Istanbul gave hope to the country’s beleaguered democrats. Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) won the mayoralty of Turkey’s largest city with about 54%. Former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, representing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), conceded Sunday evening. The president also congratulated the winner.

More:Signs of Democratic Life in Turkey - WSJ

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Istanbul vote signals shift in Erdogan's dominance - CNN

Istanbul vote signals shift in Erdogan's dominance in Turkey
Analysis by Arwa Damon, Gul Tuysuz, Isil Sariyuce and Jomana Karadsheh, CNN

Updated 2157 GMT (0557 HKT) June 23, 2019

The Erdogan effect: How one man shaped Turkey 03:32
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN)Change, hope, and a new beginning. That's the promise of Istanbul's newly elected mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

His slogan, "Everything will be great" is on everyone's lips in Turkey.

More:Istanbul vote signals shift in Erdogan's dominance - CNN

Istanbul Mayoral Elections: Could Result Threaten Turkish President Erdogan?

Istanbul Mayoral Elections: Could Result Threaten Turkish President Erdogan?
By Wesley Dockery
06/23/19 AT 3:52 PM
In a major blow to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish opposition has won the mayoral elections in Istanbul.

Erdogan's preferred candidate, former Prime Minister and fellow Justice and Development Party (AKP) member Binali Yilderim, only won 45.1% of the vote to opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu's 54%.

More:Istanbul Mayoral Elections: Could Result Threaten Turkish President Erdogan?

Signs of Democratic Life in Turkey - WSJ

Signs of Democratic Life in Turkey

Erdogan tries to steal an election but creates a new rival.
By The Editorial Board
June 23, 2019 3:43 pm ET
Good news is rare in Turkey these days, but on Sunday voters in Istanbul gave hope to the country’s beleaguered democrats. Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) won the mayoralty of Turkey’s largest city with about 54%. Former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, representing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), conceded Sunday evening. The president also congratulated the winner.


More:Signs of Democratic Life in Turkey - WSJ

Erdogan just suffered a humiliating defeat. And thanks to Istanbul, Turkey’s democracy just won a famous victory - Turkey - Haaretz.com

Erdogan Just Suffered a Humiliating Defeat. And Thanks to Istanbul, Turkey’s Democracy Just Won a Famous Victory

Denied his first victory in Istanbul’s mayoral elections on dubious grounds, Imamoglu has now won by a far larger margin of victory. He’s humbled Erdogan big time – and offered new hope for Turkey’s embattled democrats

more:Erdogan just suffered a humiliating defeat. And thanks to Istanbul, Turkey’s democracy just won a famous victory - Turkey - Haaretz.com

Istanbul election important if its legacy is a trend - Analysis - Middle East - Jerusalem Post

ISTANBUL ELECTION IMPORTANT IF ITS LEGACY IS A TREND - ANALYSIS
It’s the second election in the city since a March 31 election, which also saw Imamoglu win, was annulled.
BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN JUNE 23, 2019 22:57

A closely watched election in Istanbul saw the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem Imamoglu defeat former prime minister Binali Yildirim to become mayor.

More:Istanbul election important if its legacy is a trend - Analysis - Middle East - Jerusalem Post

Erdoğan's party defeated in Istanbul mayoral election rerun | World news | The Guardian

Erdoğan's party defeated in Istanbul mayoral election rerun
Embarrassment for president as AKP lose Istanbul to CHP party’s Ekrem İmamoğlu

Bethan McKernan in Istanbul

Turkey’s ruling party in Istanbul’s controversial mayoral election rerun has conceded defeat, handing the nation’s beleaguered opposition a landmark victory that will have dramatic consequences for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s grip on the country.

More:Erdoğan's party defeated in Istanbul mayoral election rerun | World news | The Guardian

Landmark Istanbul loss a blow to Turkey's Erdogan :: WRAL.com

Landmark Istanbul loss a blow to Turkey's Erdogan
Posted 16 minutes ago

By ZEYNEP BILGINSOY and DEREK GATOPOULOS, Associated Press

ISTANBUL — The opposition candidate for mayor of Istanbul celebrated a landmark win Sunday in a closely watched repeat election that ended weeks of political tension and broke President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party's 25-year hold on Turkey's biggest city.

More:Landmark Istanbul loss a blow to Turkey's Erdogan :: WRAL.com

Istanbul rerun puts Turkey’s changing media scene in the spotlight | Ahval

Istanbul rerun puts Turkey’s changing media scene in the spotlight

When Ekrem İmamoğlu was announced as the secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul mayoral candidate in December, his recognition rate was at 14 percent in Turkey. Just before March 31 local polls in Istanbul, this rate reached 94 percent.

More:Istanbul rerun puts Turkey’s changing media scene in the spotlight | Ahval

RPT-Hard-hit Turkish assets hinge on election, Trump-Erdogan meeting | Financial Post

RPT-Hard-hit Turkish assets hinge on election, Trump-Erdogan meeting
Reuters
Nevzat Devranoglu and Ceyda Caglayan
June 23, 2019

ANKARA/ISTANBUL — Investors could snap up sold-off Turkish assets or dump them with force depending on the outcome of Sunday’s re-run election in Istanbul and, days later, a high-stakes meeting between President Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.

More:RPT-Hard-hit Turkish assets hinge on election, Trump-Erdogan meeting | Financial Post

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Istanbul mayor′s race: Taking on the establishment | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 22.06.2019

Istanbul mayor's race: Taking on the establishment

Ekrem Imamoglu rocked Turkish politics with his shock mayoral victory in Istanbul in March. But after the first vote was annulled over apparent irregularities, he's running again. Opinion polls show that he's ahead.

More:Istanbul mayor′s race: Taking on the establishment | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 22.06.2019

The writing on the wall that could spell disaster for Erdoğan in Istanbul election | World news | The Guardian

The writing on the wall that could spell disaster for Erdoğan in Istanbul election

A shock mayoral win in March led the regime to void elections. Polls suggest a new ballot on Sunday may boost the anti-government vote

More:The writing on the wall that could spell disaster for Erdoğan in Istanbul election | World news | The Guardian

The Istanbul race is personal for Erdoğan. The result could transform Turkey - CNN

The Istanbul race is personal for Erdoğan. The result could transform Turkey
By Işıl Sarıyüce and Eliza Mackintosh, CNN

Updated 11:42 PM ET, Fri June 21, 2019

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN)On a recent afternoon at a coffee house in the Istanbul neighborhood where Turkey's president grew up, Güngör Saytuğ was ruminating on his old friend's rise to power.

Decades ago, Saytuğ and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were sitting in the locker room after an amateur soccer game when Erdoğan announced out of the blue that he would someday become prime minister, and then president.

More:The Istanbul race is personal for Erdoğan. The result could transform Turkey - CNN

World View: Turkey’s hopes hang on Ekrem Imamoglu

World View: Turkey’s hopes hang on Ekrem Imamoglu
Rerun of Istanbul’s mayoral election poses threat to Erdogan authority
about 17 hours ago

Paul Gillespie

Datca town council in southwest Turkey is closing its beaches because of “expected simultaneous sand and snow storms”. The hotel we are staying in at Bozburun, on a similar peninsula further south, is also refusing guests on that day. Its owners will be in Istanbul to vote in the rerun of its mayoral election.

More:World View: Turkey’s hopes hang on Ekrem Imamoglu

Friday, June 21, 2019

Erdogan ‘resorts to dirty tricks’ in battle for Istanbul | World | The Times

Erdogan ‘resorts to dirty tricks’ in battle for Istanbul
Hannah Lucinda Smith, Istanbul

President Erdogan has resorted to media manipulation and subterfuge in an eleventh-hour attempt to snatch Istanbul back from his opponents in elections tomorrow.

More:Erdogan ‘resorts to dirty tricks’ in battle for Istanbul | World | The Times

The Heat: Turkey election controversy

The Heat: Turkey election controversy

Anand Naidoo@anandnaidoo

Published June 20, 2019 at 6:01 PM
Turkey’s top electoral body has annulled the results of the March 31 election for mayor of Istanbul, ordering a re-vote for this weekend.

The move followed complaints of voting irregularities from the country’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after opposition candidate Ekrem Imanoglu appeared to score a narrow victory over the president’s candidate Binali Yildirim. The controversial decision to rerun the election has increased concerns over democracy and the rule of law in Turkey.

More:The Heat: Turkey election controversy

Turkey Nailbiter Is Market's Worst Nightmare, No Matter Who Wins - Bloomberg

Turkey Nailbiter Is Market's Worst Nightmare, No Matter Who Wins
By Tugce Ozsoy and Cagan Koc
June 20, 2019, 6:30 PM GMT+2 Updated on June 21, 2019, 7:00 AM GMT+2

It’s not who wins the electoral sweepstakes in Istanbul this Sunday that could dictate the market’s mood for months to come.

More:Turkey Nailbiter Is Market's Worst Nightmare, No Matter Who Wins - Bloomberg

Erdogan’s Purges Leave Turkey’s Justice System Reeling - The New York Times

Erdogan’s Purges Leave Turkey’s Justice System Reeling
The authoritarianism of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, and the cronyism in his governing party are undermining Turkey’s economy and education system.

By Carlotta Gall
June 21, 2019

ANKARA, Turkey — Once jailed for reciting a poem at a political rally, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has styled himself throughout his rise as a champion of freedom and justice, and his early push for judicial reforms were widely hailed.

More:Erdogan’s Purges Leave Turkey’s Justice System Reeling - The New York Times

The stealing of an election in Istanbul | Newsday

The stealing of an election in Istanbul

Updated June 21, 2019 6:00 AM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan needs Kurdish votes for his Justice and Development Party to win the Istanbul mayoral election on Sunday. However, polls indicate that 80 percent of Kurds are expected to vote for the opposition candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP. Imamoglu had already won the March 31 mayoral race, but Erdogan’s Supreme Electoral Council rejected the results and ordered a new election. This time, Erdogan will make sure his AKP party wins.

More:The stealing of an election in Istanbul | Newsday

Erdogan in lose-lose situation after Istanbul vote – analysts

Erdogan in lose-lose situation after Istanbul vote – analysts

Istanbul's voting public will re-run its mayoral election on Sunday, June 23

More:Erdogan in lose-lose situation after Istanbul vote – analysts

Erdogan Faces Moment of Truth as Istanbul Goes to Polls Again

Erdogan Faces Moment of Truth as Istanbul Goes to Polls Again

Erdogan's AK Party had not lost an election in IStanbul for nearly two decades before the March 31 vote, won narrowly by opposition candidate Erkrem Imamoglu before the High Election Board cancelled the result following AKP appeals.

More:Erdogan Faces Moment of Truth as Istanbul Goes to Polls Again

Istanbul Election Re-Run May Decide Turkey’s Future | Balkan Insight

Istanbul Election Re-Run May Decide Turkey’s Future

Hamdi Firat BuyukBelgrade, SarajevoBIRNJune 21, 2019
The re-vote on Sunday in Turkey’s largest city and main economic centre may determine President Erdogan’s fate and signal a change in Turkish politics.

More:Istanbul Election Re-Run May Decide Turkey’s Future | Balkan Insight

bne IntelliNews - Why it’s tempting to think the Istanbul revote will bring about the end of Erdogan

Why it’s tempting to think the Istanbul revote will bring about the end of Erdogan

By Akin Nazli in Belgrade June 20, 2019
On the eve of the end-of-March Turkish local elections, bne IntelliNews asked whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could actually emerge the loser from the contest, even though by rights such an outcome should have been a dead certainty when one thinks of how badly his administration has botched Turkey’s economy. But given the democratic deconstruction of the country during Erdogan’s 17 years at the top, our reporting team has had too much experience of strange goings-on at the Turkish ballot box to think that logical assessments necessarily hold sway.

More:bne IntelliNews - Why it’s tempting to think the Istanbul revote will bring about the end of Erdogan

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Turkish Democracy Is Still Alive – Foreign Policy

Turkish Democracy Is Still Alive
And the Istanbul elections show how.
BY MURAT SOMER | JUNE 19, 2019, 5:14 PM

People in a restaurant watch a televised lived debate between mayoral candidates Binali Yildirim and Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul on June 16. BURAK KARA/GETTY IMAGES
On June 23, somewhere between 8 and 9 million residents of Istanbul will go to the polls to elect their mayor—again. The leading contenders are Ekrem Imamoglu, a dynamic young former district mayor from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and Binali Yildirim, a seasoned politician and former prime minister from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

More:Turkish Democracy Is Still Alive – Foreign Policy

İmamoğlu appears poised for another victory in Istanbul on Sunday - analysis | Ahval

İmamoğlu appears poised for another victory in Istanbul on Sunday - analysis

Turkey’s main opposition Istanbul mayoral candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu has demonstrated through his solid support base, a broader and deeper opposition coalition than Turkey has ever seen, that another victory in Sunday’s election is very much within reach, wrote Louis Fishman, assistant professor at Brooklyn College, City University of New York and expert on Turkish affairs, wrote in Haaretz.

More:İmamoğlu appears poised for another victory in Istanbul on Sunday - analysis | Ahval

Tired of treading softly, Turkey's Erdogan back on election warpath | Euronews

Tired of treading softly, Turkey's Erdogan back on election warpath
By Reuters• last updated: 19/06/2019 - 17:02

By Orhan Coskun, Humeyra Pamuk and Jonathan Spicer

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has gone on the warpath against the main opposition days ahead of a re-run of a mayoral vote in Istanbul, scrapping plans to avoid divisive rhetoric that some officials in his ruling AK Party believed would alienate voters.

More:Tired of treading softly, Turkey's Erdogan back on election warpath | Euronews

Army of lawyers prepares to defend high-stakes Istanbul poll | Financial Times

Army of lawyers prepares to defend high-stakes Istanbul poll
Both sides deploy thousands of election monitors as tension rises ahead of vote rerun

Merve Yavuz was 1,500 miles from Istanbul when Turkey’s election board cancelled the result of the city’s mayoral election. But the corporate lawyer, who lives in France, decided she had to find a way to help in the rerun of the vote. “I said: I can’t stand this. I can’t just sit at home and watch — I have to go,” she said.

More:Army of lawyers prepares to defend high-stakes Istanbul poll | Financial Times

Turkey holds its breath: Is Erdogan about to lose, again? - Middle East News - Haaretz.com

Opinion Turkey Holds Its Breath: Is Erdogan About to Lose, Again?

Turkey’s president once said: 'If we lose Istanbul, we lose Turkey.' What happens if he loses Istanbul twice? And to Ekrem Imamoglu's unprecedented liberal, secular, Kurdish, nationalist and conservative Muslim coalition?

More:Turkey holds its breath: Is Erdogan about to lose, again? - Middle East News - Haaretz.com

Can Turkey crawl back from the economic brink? | Business News

Can Turkey crawl back from the economic brink?World News

Updated Jun 18, 2019 | 13:51 IST | AFP
The currency lost almost a third of its value against the dollar last year, helping to plunge the economy into recession and fuelling inflation of around 20 per cent.

More:Can Turkey crawl back from the economic brink? | Business News

Mayoral election re-run in Turkey: Istanbul's Imamoglu has a plan - Qantara.de

Istanbul's Imamoglu has a plan

Having spent just seventeen days in the job, Ekrem Imamoglu from the Republican Peopleʹs Party wants to win back the office of Mayor of Istanbul. Who is this man – and why is his potential re-election so significant for Turkeyʹs future? By Marian Brehmer

more:Mayoral election re-run in Turkey: Istanbul's Imamoglu has a plan - Qantara.de

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Has Met His Match – Foreign Policy

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Has Met His Match

Turkey’s soccer-obsessed president is engaging in a last-ditch effort to help his party hold on to power in Istanbul. Can Ekrem Imamoglu beat him at his own game?

More:Recep Tayyip Erdogan Has Met His Match – Foreign Policy

Ezel Sahinkaya | Voice of America - English

Analysts Skeptical of Turkey's Vow to Protect Free Speech

In late May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan introduced Turkey's new judicial reform package whose main goal was to increase 'citizens' confidence' in the country's judicial system

More:Ezel Sahinkaya | Voice of America - English

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Erdogan attacks Istanbul's ousted mayor days before poll re-run - Reuters

Erdogan attacks Istanbul's ousted mayor days before poll re-run
Ezgi Erkoyun, Humeyra Pamuk
3 MIN READ

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attacked Istanbul’s ousted mayor on Tuesday, days before a crucial re-run of the municipal vote, accusing him of being aligned with a U.S.-based cleric blamed by Ankara for orchestrating a 2016 failed coup.

More:Erdogan attacks Istanbul's ousted mayor days before poll re-run - Reuters

Will Erdoğan respect the Istanbul rerun result? | Ahval

Will Erdoğan respect the Istanbul rerun result?

With just days to go before Istanbul’s rerun mayoral election on June 23, this is a good time to consider the vote’s likely impact on Turkey’s foreign relations.

Four outcomes are most likely: 1) Ekrem İmamoğlu, candidate of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), wins indisputably; 2) Binali Yıldırım, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate and former prime minister, wins indisputably; 3) İmamoğlu wins, but Erdoğan and the AKP challenge the results; 4) Yıldırım gains a disputed victory and faces allegations of vote rigging.

More:Will Erdoğan respect the Istanbul rerun result? | Ahval

Opposition says 'injustice' will galvanize Istanbul voters

Opposition says 'injustice' will galvanize Istanbul voters
By: AYSE WIETING, Associated Press

ISTANBUL (AP) - The opposition candidate for mayor of Istanbul said Monday he believes "the injustice" caused by the cancellation of his electoral win in March will galvanize voters in his favor in Sunday's rerun election.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Ekrem Imamoglu also said a second victory for him on June 23 would amount to a win for "democracy and for Istanbul."

More:Opposition says 'injustice' will galvanize Istanbul voters

Erdogan bids Ataturk farewell - Middle East - Jerusalem Post

MIDDLE ISRAEL: ERDOGAN BIDS ATATURK FAREWELL

Fascinated by European technology, education and government, Ataturk saw the Middle East as socially reactionary, economically stagnant and culturally ignorant.

More:Erdogan bids Ataturk farewell - Middle East - Jerusalem Post

Monday, June 17, 2019

Candidates for Istanbul Mayor Hold Rare Debate on Live TV - The New York Times

Candidates for Istanbul Mayor Hold Rare Debate on Live TV

ISTANBUL — In a rare democratic experience for Turkish citizens, the two main candidates for mayor of Istanbul, gearing up for a repeat election on June 23, went head to head Sunday evening in the first live television debate the country has seen in 17 years.

More:Candidates for Istanbul Mayor Hold Rare Debate on Live TV - The New York Times

As battle for Istanbul reaches fever pitch, Turkey’s ruling party regrets its pop culture problem · Global Voices

As battle for Istanbul reaches fever pitch, Turkey's ruling party regrets its pop culture problem

Popstars are political assets and the ruling party is losing them

More:As battle for Istanbul reaches fever pitch, Turkey’s ruling party regrets its pop culture problem · Global Voices

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Turkey Angry With Southern EU Nations

Turkey Angry With Southern EU Nations

6/15/2019 | 9:14 AM CDT
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey on Saturday criticized southern European Union nations for urging the EU to consider action against Turkey over its bid to drill for gas in waters where Cyprus has exclusive economic rights.

More:Turkey Angry With Southern EU Nations

Of Turks and Americans

Of Turks and Americans

Winston Churchill once said “you can count on the Americans to do the right thing,” then he added, I presume with a smile, “after they have exhausted all other possibilities.” It isn’t any different for the Turks, I may add.

More:Of Turks and Americans

Why Istanbul’s rerun is a battle for the soul of Turkey | openDemocracy

Why Istanbul’s rerun is a battle for the soul of Turkey

Six summers ago, Erdogan’s social engineering efforts triggered their first major backslash in Istanbul. And this March, spring came back to Istanbul.

More:Why Istanbul’s rerun is a battle for the soul of Turkey | openDemocracy

Friday, June 14, 2019

Inside Europe: A risky election rerun in Turkey | Media Center | DW | 14.06.2019

Inside Europe: A risky election rerun in Turkey

Istanbul will rerun its mayoral election on June 16. In March, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party was defeated in the city's local elections. That result was widely seen as a political game changer. But a rerun was called after the authorities annulled the vote over irregularities. The country's opposition and the EU said the move was undemocratic. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

More:Inside Europe: A risky election rerun in Turkey | Media Center | DW | 14.06.2019

Turkey seeks jail terms for two Bloomberg reporters | Financial Times

Turkey seeks jail terms for two Bloomberg reporters

Turkey has launched a criminal investigation into two Bloomberg journalists over a story published at the height of a currency crisis that struck the country last summer.

More:Turkey seeks jail terms for two Bloomberg reporters | Financial Times

Ex–Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu Fights Erdoğan With Radical Love - The Atlantic

A Turkish Opposition Leader Is Fighting Erdoğan With ‘Radical Love’

“All around the world, populism is used to divide and rule. But I believe we can turn this trend upside down.”

More:Ex–Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu Fights Erdoğan With Radical Love - The Atlantic

DAILY SCRAP REPORT: Turkish buying rally continues in deep-sea markets | Metal Bulletin.com

DAILY SCRAP REPORT: Turkish buying rally continues in deep-sea markets

Turkish steel producers have continued their deep-sea scrap purchases, increasing their combined tonnage for import to 226,000 tonnes in two days, sources said on Thursday June 13.

More:DAILY SCRAP REPORT: Turkish buying rally continues in deep-sea markets | Metal Bulletin.com

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Turkey’s Three Moments of Truth - Carnegie Europe - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Turkey’s Three Moments of Truth
MARC PIERINI
The Turkish leadership has not only turned its back on its proclaimed European ambitions. It has also launched itself into a different political, legal, and ethical orbit.

More:Turkey’s Three Moments of Truth - Carnegie Europe - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The Syrian funeral that divided Turkey

The Syrian funeral that divided Turkey

Fehim Tastekin June 13, 2019

Given Ankara's long-running support for armed groups in Syria, it's not unnatural that a funeral ceremony for a commander of one of those groups be held in Turkey. Abdel Baset al-Sarout, 27, a commander in Jaysh al-Izza who became a media icon, was taken to a hospital in Reyhanli in Hatay province on June 8. Sarout soon succumbed to his injuries, and a crowded funeral ceremony took place at Tevhid Mosque in Reyhanli the following day, before his body was sent to Syria for burial.​

more;The Syrian funeral that divided Turkey

Turkish opposition’s İmamoğlu needs real changes to tackle corruption | Ahval

Turkish opposition’s İmamoğlu needs real changes to tackle corruption
The opposition candidate in the rerun of the vote to elect a new mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has raised public hopes for tackling endemic corruption in Turkey.

İmamoğlu was declared the winner of the March 31 mayoral election, but the electoral authority ordered the vote held again on June 23 after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) objected to what it said were ballot irregularities.

More:Turkish opposition’s İmamoğlu needs real changes to tackle corruption | Ahval

Istanbul mayoral election centers on fight against corruption | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 13.06.2019

Istanbul mayoral election centers on fight against corruption
Turkey's ruling party has been accused of using Istanbul city funds to benefit business contacts and the president's family. Now an opposition candidate for mayor is vowing to put an end to the nepotism ― if he can win.

More:Istanbul mayoral election centers on fight against corruption | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 13.06.2019

Turkey eases credit card rules in latest economic stimulus | Ahval

Turkey eases credit card rules in latest economic stimulus

Turkey eased repayment rules on credit card debt and made it easier to purchase furniture and holidays in an attempt to stimulate economic growth.

Turks will be required to repay a minimum of 30 percent of their credit card debt on a monthly basis, down from rates as high as 40 percent, according to a decision published in the Official Gazette on Thursday.

More:Turkey eases credit card rules in latest economic stimulus | Ahval

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Istanbul notary official warned for verifying Erdoğan’s university diploma without proof | Ahval

Istanbul notary official warned for verifying Erdoğan’s university diploma without proof

The Turkish Notaries Union has issued a warning to a notary clerk for verifying the photocopied university diploma of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan without receiving a hard copy of the original document, pro-government Cumhuriyet newspaper reported on Tuesday.

More:Istanbul notary official warned for verifying Erdoğan’s university diploma without proof | Ahval

Turkey signs largest financial cooperation project with EU for railway construction | Ahval

Turkey signs largest financial cooperation project with EU for railway construction

Turkey and the European Union have signed a $1.24-billion financial cooperation project to construct a railway line between Istanbul and the Turkish border with Bulgaria.

More:Turkey signs largest financial cooperation project with EU for railway construction | Ahval

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Why is Turkey torn between the United States and Russia? | openDemocracy

Why is Turkey torn between the United States and Russia?

In the last five years, the majority of Turkish society has embraced anti-western discourses probably at the deepest level since NATO membership in 1952.

more:Why is Turkey torn between the United States and Russia? | openDemocracy

European Rights Court Censures Moldova for Deporting Turks | Balkan Insight

European Rights Court Censures Moldova for Deporting Turks

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Moldova violated the rights of several Turkish professors by deporting them to Turkey, which was seeking their arrest for alleged links to cleric Fethullah Gulen’s movement.

More:European Rights Court Censures Moldova for Deporting Turks | Balkan Insight

Restraining the Impulse to Expel Turkey from NATO | The National Interest

Restraining the Impulse to Expel Turkey from NATO

Tension between Washington and Ankara stems from America's frustration with Erdogan.

More:Restraining the Impulse to Expel Turkey from NATO | The National Interest

Turkey's local elections were not free or fair | openDemocracy

Turkey's local elections were not free or fair

If Turkey can hang on to the remaining threads of its democracy and the fractured political opposition can organise itself effectively, it might not bode well for the future of president Erdogan and his ruling party.

more:Turkey's local elections were not free or fair | openDemocracy

Turkey's support for state banks limits risk of downgrade -Fitch - Reuters

Turkey's support for state banks limits risk of downgrade -Fitch

ISTANBUL, June 11 (Reuters) - Turkey’s decision this year to inject its state banks with capital shows Ankara’s will to support the financial sector and limits the risk for a rating downgrade, credit rating agency Fitch said on Tuesday.

More:Turkey's support for state banks limits risk of downgrade -Fitch - Reuters

Young Turks Losing Their Religion | Jonathan MS Pearce

Young Turks Losing Their Religion
JUNE 11, 2019 BY JONATHAN MS PEARCE

Recently, I posted about how Turkey is facing a move away from religion (“Is Turkey, under Erdogan, Becoming More Atheistic?“) even given the increasing politically enforced religionism in the country. From it, DW reported:

According to a recent survey by the pollster Konda, a growing number of Turks identify as atheists. Konda reports that the number of nonbelievers tripled in the past 10 years. It also found that the share of Turks who say they adhere to Islam dropped from 55 percent to 51 percent.

more:Young Turks Losing Their Religion | Jonathan MS Pearce

The AKP's Thirst for Power Risks Leaving Turkey High and Dry

The AKP's Thirst for Power Risks Leaving Turkey High and Dry

On March 31, it looked as if the Republican People's Party (CHP) had successfully wrenched Istanbul's mayorship from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) party, which has held the economically and politically powerful position for nearly two decades. But despite securing nearly 14,000 more votes than its rival, the CHP's victory was short-lived. After the results were announced, the AKP was quick to allege election fraud, resulting in the decision to rerun the election. Should it face another loss in the June 23 revote, the party is likely to repeat the tactic — laying bare just how far the AKP will go to secure control over the city.

More:The AKP's Thirst for Power Risks Leaving Turkey High and Dry

Election Puts Istanbul’s Budget—and Ruling Party’s Use of It—in Spotlight - WSJ

Election Puts Istanbul’s Budget—and Ruling Party’s Use of It—in Spotlight

Turkish President Erdogan, who pushed for a rerun of the mayoral vote, denies opposition politicians’ allegations that city spending goes to support AKP projects

More:Election Puts Istanbul’s Budget—and Ruling Party’s Use of It—in Spotlight - WSJ

Monday, June 10, 2019

Interview with Turkish author Asli Erdogan : "There is nothing left of democracy in Turkey" - Qantara.de

"There is nothing left of democracy in Turkey"

For Turkish author Asli Erdogan the annullation of the mayoral electoral result in Istanbul marked the end of democracy in Turkey. Gezal Acer spoke to her about her life in German exile and the situation of writers and freedom of speech in Turkey

More:Interview with Turkish author Asli Erdogan : "There is nothing left of democracy in Turkey" - Qantara.de

TURKEY/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES : Erdogan family's drones help Turkey's diplomacy in Africa and the Gulf

Erdogan family's drones help Turkey's diplomacy in Africa and the Gulf

In Libya's skies, drones supplied by the Unted Arab Emirates, Khalifa Haftar's uncontested sponsor, are up against Turkish drones.

More;TURKEY/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES : Erdogan family's drones help Turkey's diplomacy in Africa and the Gulf

Binali Yıldırım's gamble | James in Turkey

Binali Yıldırım’s gamble
Monday 10 June 2019
The former prime minister has more to lose by challenging Istanbul mayoral rival Ekrem İmamoğlu to Turkey’s first televised political debate in 17 years

More:Binali Yıldırım's gamble | James in Turkey

Channeling Trump, Turkey's Opposition Bashes CNN as `Fake News' - Bloomberg

Channeling Trump, Turkey’s Opposition Bashes CNN as ‘Fake News’
By Cagan Koc
June 10, 2019, 1:45 PM GMT+2

It’s not only Donald Trump who has a beef with CNN’s news coverage. Cable News Network Inc.’s Turkish franchise is also facing backlash for its sympathetic coverage of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party.

More:Channeling Trump, Turkey's Opposition Bashes CNN as `Fake News' - Bloomberg

Sunday, June 09, 2019

Why do Istanbul mayoral candidates need to tour Anatolia to seek support? | Ahval

Why do Istanbul mayoral candidates need to tour Anatolia to seek support?

Some found it puzzling when the two main candidates for the June 23 Istanbul rerun used the three-day Eid al-Fitr break this week to visit provinces in Anatolia and seek the support of voters there, rather than in Istanbul.

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu and the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Binali Yıldırım will compete for a second time later this month to be elected as the mayor of Istanbul, after the country’s Supreme Election Council annulled the local polls in March 31 in Turkey’s financial powerhouse, following an AKP appeal which cited severe irregularities.

More:Why do Istanbul mayoral candidates need to tour Anatolia to seek support? | Ahval

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Turkish dam could hold trouble for Anatolia’s cultural heritage and for Iraq | Thomas Seibert | AW

Turkish dam could hold trouble for Anatolia’s cultural heritage and for Iraq

Approximately 70% of Iraq’s water flows from neighbouring countries, including the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that originate in Turkey.

more:Turkish dam could hold trouble for Anatolia’s cultural heritage and for Iraq | Thomas Seibert | AW

Will Imamoglu score victory in Istanbul election again? | Yavuz Baydar | AW

Will Imamoglu score victory in Istanbul election again?

June 23 will mark a date when Islamists will show whether they are respectful of an election result if they witness a repeated loss.

More:Will Imamoglu score victory in Istanbul election again? | Yavuz Baydar | AW

Friday, June 07, 2019

Turkey’s President Erdogan may face a mutiny in his own party - A hard AK to follow

Turkey’s President Erdogan may face a mutiny in his own party
Former bigwigs in the ruling party are said to be planning a new one


Print edition | Europe
Jun 6th 2019 | ISTANBUL
One of the more tedious pastimes in Turkish politics is debating whether murmurs of discontent in the ruling Justice and Development (ak) party will transform into open rebellion against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speculation inevitably begins whenever a former ak luminary says something even mildly critical of Turkey’s strongman, and dies down when nothing else follows.

More:Turkey’s President Erdogan may face a mutiny in his own party - A hard AK to follow

Pentagon suspends Turkish F-35 training program; pilots ordered out of U.S. by July - Washington Times

Pentagon suspends Turkish F-35 training program; pilots ordered out of U.S. by July

The Pentagon is suspending its training program for Turkish pilots learning to fly the advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, ordering the roughly 40 trainees to leave the U.S. by the end of July.

More:Pentagon suspends Turkish F-35 training program; pilots ordered out of U.S. by July - Washington Times

Thursday, June 06, 2019

US not to train Turkish pilots on F35 jets due to Ankara's defence deal with Moscow

US not to train Turkish pilots on F35 jets due to Ankara's defence deal with Moscow

The United States has decided to stop accepting any additional Turkish pilots who planned to come to the United States to train on F-35 fighter jets, U.S. officials say, in a clear sign of the escalating dispute over Ankara's plans to purchase Russian air defences.

more;US not to train Turkish pilots on F35 jets due to Ankara's defence deal with Moscow

Turkey’s President Erdogan may face a mutiny in his own party | The Economist

Turkey’s President Erdogan may face a mutiny in his own party
Former bigwigs in the ruling party are said to be planning a new one
Jun 8th 2019 | ISTANBUL

ONE OF THE more tedious pastimes in Turkish politics is debating whether murmurs of discontent in the ruling Justice and Development (AK) party will transform into open rebellion against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speculation inevitably begins whenever a former AK luminary says something even mildly critical of Turkey’s strongman, and dies down when nothing else follows.

More:Turkey’s President Erdogan may face a mutiny in his own party | The Economist

Living Planet: Eco-friendly fair clothing from Turkey | Environment| All topics from climate change to conservation | DW | 06.06.2019

Living Planet: Eco-friendly fair clothing from Turkey

Cheap labor in sweatshops, pesticides on cotton fields, short-lived throwaway garments - the fashion industry isn't generally famed for being environment friendly or the ideal employer. But things are changing. Consumers are increasingly interested in clothing that's sustainable both in terms of the materials used and the workers who make it. In Istanbul, a company is catching on to the trend.

more;Living Planet: Eco-friendly fair clothing from Turkey | Environment| All topics from climate change to conservation | DW | 06.06.2019

As Istanbul vote re-run approaches, Erdogan faces trouble within party - The National

As Istanbul vote re-run approaches, Erdogan faces trouble within party

The president is contending with growing divisions and rumours of a rival split

More:As Istanbul vote re-run approaches, Erdogan faces trouble within party - The National

Asia Times | Turkey issue will define future of EU | Article

Turkey issue will define future of EU

By FAISAL AL YAFAI

Last week, the European Union released its latest report on Turkey’s progress toward EU membership. It did not make comforting reading. On topic after topic – the judicial system, corruption, human rights and the economy – the EU found either limited progress or “serious backsliding.” Negotiations, said the report, were in effect at a standstill.

More:Asia Times | Turkey issue will define future of EU | Article

Erdogan Pushes to Cement His Hold on Turkey

Erdogan Pushes to Cement His Hold on Turkey
By Sinan Ciddi
Board of Contributors

The annulment of the March 31 mayoral election in Istanbul and the ordering of a do-over on June 23 raises questions about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government's willingness to recognize election results that do not produce favorable outcomes.
If the opposition candidate again wins the Istanbul mayoral election, there is a chance that Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party will not recognize the outcome and will appoint a caretaker appointee.

More:Erdogan Pushes to Cement His Hold on Turkey

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Fiction fights a battle for freedom of thought in Turkey | Financial Times

Fiction fights a battle for freedom of thought in Turkey

Novelist Elif Shafak is the latest writer to fall foul of an authoritarian regime

More:Fiction fights a battle for freedom of thought in Turkey | Financial Times

How Brexit is playing into Erdoğan’s hands in Turkey | Elcin Poyrazlar | Opinion | The Guardian

How Brexit is playing into Erdoğan’s hands in Turkey
Elcin Poyrazlar
Turkey is losing its champion in Europe, just as the president distances himself from the EU – and democracy
Wed 5 Jun 2019 11.30 BST

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has ‘capitalised on the anti-Turkey discourse to embark on his single-minded pursuit of greater power’. Photograph: Murad Sezer/Reuters
In the early hours of 4 October, 2005, Jack Straw, the then British foreign secretary, and Abdullah Gül, his Turkish counterpart, walked, tired-eyed and hand-in-hand, into a packed press conference in Luxembourg.

More:How Brexit is playing into Erdoğan’s hands in Turkey | Elcin Poyrazlar | Opinion | The Guardian

Editorial: Turkey's crucial decision | Editorials | postandcourier.com

Editorial: Turkey’s crucial decision
Jun 4, 2019 Updated 7 hrs ago

Turkey faces a momentous choice this summer between an unreliable alliance with Russia or continuing membership in NATO with the United States. Turkey’s appalling autocratic President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan, having agreed to buy a major Russian weapons system dangerous to NATO interests, unwisely is likely to stick to his chosen path.

more;Editorial: Turkey's crucial decision | Editorials | postandcourier.com

Tuesday, June 04, 2019

As religion creeps back into Turkish government, so it does in U.S. | Rick Snedeker

As religion creeps back into Turkish government, so it does in U.S.
JUNE 4, 2019 BY RICK SNEDEKER
1 COMMENT
The headline in a recent Daylight Atheism blog post — “Ataturk Triumphed Over Religion” — is, unfortunately, premature.

Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, left, greets the Shah of Persia Reza Pahlavi in Ankara, 1934. (Levan Ramishvili, Flikr, Public Domain)
It refers to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the strongman founder and first president of Turkey’s modern secularly structured republican government and society, who did indeed transform that once-theocratic Muslim state into a nontheistic republic during his rule in 1923-38.

more;As religion creeps back into Turkish government, so it does in U.S. | Rick Snedeker

Turkey: Electoral Board Appoints Same Polling Officials Ahead of Istanbul Do-Over

Turkey: Electoral Board Appoints Same Polling Officials Ahead of Istanbul Do-Over

What Happened: Turkey's Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) has cleared the way for the same balloting officials who monitored voting in Istanbul's contested mayoral election on March 31 to oversee the June 23 revote, the Hurriyet Daily News reported June 4. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has appealed the decision, which appears to contradict the AKP claims that prompted the election do-over in the first place.

More:
Turkey: Electoral Board Appoints Same Polling Officials Ahead of Istanbul Do-Over

İmamoğlu says will win Istanbul election by overcoming division | Ahval

İmamoğlu says will win Istanbul election by overcoming division

Ekrem İmamoğlu, declared winner of the March election for Istanbul mayor before the result was overturned, said he would win the June 23 rerun on by overcoming division and embracing pluralism.

The awe-inspiring energy of citizens will show that it is possible to stand against authoritarian power, İmamoğlu said in an op-ed for the Washington Post published on Tuesday.

More:İmamoğlu says will win Istanbul election by overcoming division | Ahval

Istanbul Residents To Vote In New Election For Mayor June 23 : NPR

Istanbul Residents To Vote In New Election For Mayor June 23

PETER KENYON

In Turkey, residents of Istanbul are angry after their mayoral election results were voided in what appeared to be a power play by the ruling party. They plan to come out in big numbers for the redo.

More:Istanbul Residents To Vote In New Election For Mayor June 23 : NPR

Istanbul Election Re-Run May Become Pivotal for EU-Turkey Relations - Scholar - Sputnik International

Istanbul Election Re-Run May Become Pivotal for EU-Turkey Relations - Scholar © REUTERS / Murad Sezer
OPINION
19:23 03.06.2019Get short URL112
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Istanbul mayoral election, set to be re-run after the opposition party won in March vote, may become a turning point for EU-Turkish relations and Turkey's — recently stalled — integration in the bloc, according to experts.

More:Istanbul Election Re-Run May Become Pivotal for EU-Turkey Relations - Scholar - Sputnik International

Sunday, June 02, 2019

Turkey’s road into the EU is blocked

Turkey’s road into the EU is blocked

Nurettin Kurt
The European Union published its regular report on the situation Turkey. The Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Expansion, Johannes Hahn, stated that no new developments in the framework of the negotiation process with Ankara.

More:Turkey’s road into the EU is blocked

Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‘turns to thug rule’ to win back Istanbul | World | The Sunday Times

Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‘turns to thug rule’ to win back Istanbul

A wave of beatings before a rerun of the city’s mayoral election signals an attempt to silence political opponents, critics say

More:Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‘turns to thug rule’ to win back Istanbul | World | The Sunday Times