Turquía

Employees of Acik Radyo react after authorities suspended the radio station from broadcasting in Istanbul on Oct. 16. Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images

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Soon after it started broadcasting on November 13, 1995, Acik Radyo (Open Radio) became the radio station of choice for Turkey’s intelligentsia. For years, leading professors, authors, journalists, and artists produced programs and appeared as guests on the station, which declared itself “open to all the sounds, colors, and vibrations of the universe”.

But in October, as Acik Radyo prepared to celebrate its 30th anniversary, its programmers received distressing news. The Turkish government’s media oversight body, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK), was shuttering their station. Acik Radyo could no longer use its FM frequency; even its name was confiscated.…  Seguir leyendo »

An aerial view of an LNG vessel at Marmara Ereglisi LNG Storage Facility in Tekirdag, Turkiye on April 12, 2023. (Photo by Lokman Akkaya/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

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The sudden collapse of the 54-year Assad dynasty in Syria has opened possibilities for a new regional order. Much remains uncertain, but Turkey – which has hosted most of Syria’s refugees and backed the winning side – is in a leading position to shape that future.

The cost of Syrian reconstruction is estimated to reach $400 billion, and Turkish companies are well-placed to secure major contracts should Syria’s state-led economy transform into a free market.

Diplomatically, Ankara could leverage its support for Syrian rebels to negotiate favourable defence agreements with the new government in Damascus – potentially replicating similar agreements it has with Azerbaijan, Qatar, Somalia, and Libya.…  Seguir leyendo »

People hold a banner featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as members of the Syrian community and supporters celebrate the fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, in Istanbul on 8 December 2024. Photo: YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images.

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No other crisis has redefined Turkey’s place in regional and international politics as much as the Syrian conflict. Turkey shares its longest land border with Syria, over 900 km. Syria is therefore not merely a foreign policy issue for Turkey but also a domestic one.

While Turkey has shaped the course of the Syrian conflict, the Syrian conflict has in turn shaped the dynamics of Turkish domestic politics and international relations for more than a decade. The relationship between Turkey and the Syrian crisis has been a story of mutual reshaping. Almost all ethnic, sectarian and ideological identity cleavages that exist in Syria also exist in Turkey.…  Seguir leyendo »

Syrians celebrating in Istanbul, December 2024 Dilara Senkaya / Reuters

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In most capitals across the Middle East, the news of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fall sparked immense anxiety. Ankara is not one of them. Rather than worrying about Syria’s prospects after more than a decade of conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees opportunity in a post-Assad future. His optimism is well founded: out of all the region’s major players, Ankara has the strongest channels of communication and history of working with the Islamist group now in charge in Damascus, positioning it to reap the benefits of the Assad regime’s demise.

Chief among the rebel forces that ended Assad’s rule on Sunday is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a Sunni Muslim group that was previously affiliated with al Qaeda and is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the United Nations.…  Seguir leyendo »

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to attend a session during the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 27, 2018. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP via Getty Images

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This week’s BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, features a new participant: Turkey. A Kremlin official leaked last month that Ankara had applied to join the grouping, following repeated expressions of interest over the years. A spokesperson for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) then conceded that “a process is underway”.

The BRICS grouping undertook a major expansion recently, adding Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates in January, with Saudia Arabia still mulling whether to join. The acronym stands for the group’s original members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Still, Turkey’s BRICS application is a watershed moment in geopolitics.…  Seguir leyendo »

Los perros también disfrutan pasar el tiempo frente a la Gran Mezquita de Santa Sofía, en Estambul. Yasin Akgul/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

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Cuando salgo de mi apartamento en el centro de Estambul, hay perros a mi alrededor. Uno yace dormitando al otro lado de la calle. Otro tiene ojos tristes que siempre buscan comida, compasión o ambas cosas. Rondan las plazas, esperan en la puerta de carnicerías y cafeterías. Algunos parecen tener un sobrepeso poco saludable; otros están esqueléticos.

Vivir en Turquía ha significado durante décadas, incluso siglos, sortear a los perros callejeros. Según algunas estimaciones, hay unos cuatro millones, pero es difícil saberlo con certeza. Para mucha gente son inseparables de la idea misma de Turquía.

Aunque es muy posible que no por mucho tiempo.…  Seguir leyendo »

Dogs, too, enjoy spending time outside the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul.Credit...Yasin Akgul/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

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When I step out of my apartment in central Istanbul, dogs surround me. One lies dozing across the street. Another has sad eyes that are always looking for food, sympathy or both. They haunt city squares, they wait outside butchers and coffee shops. Some seem unhealthily overweight; others are skeletal.

Living in Turkey has for decades, even centuries, meant navigating the stray dogs. There are around four million of them, according to some estimates, but it’s hard to know for sure. For many people they are inseparable from the idea of Turkey itself.

Though maybe not for much longer. Just over a week ago, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s governing Justice and Development Party presented a bill to Parliament that would require municipalities to capture strays and put them in shelters.…  Seguir leyendo »

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Chipre es un país trágicamente dividido por los errores de los políticos chipriotas, singularmente el arzobispo Makarios, Raul Denktas y otros que lo llevaron a la independencia. Tras la crisis de Suez de 1956, el Reino Unido decidió deshacerse de esta isla estratégicamente situada, pero no del todo, ya que conservará hasta el día de hoy dos imponentes bases militares, Acrotiri y Dekelia, calificadas como «soberanas». El Chipre otomano dio paso al Chipre británico en 1912, que se mantiene hasta la independencia de 1960. Chipre dividido desde que en 1974 las tropas turcas invadieron el norte y consiguieron imponer la división (taksim) en contra de la unión con Grecia (enosis) preconizada por los grecochipriotas.…  Seguir leyendo »

Like Germany’s president, I love a good kebab. Cosying up to autocrats like Erdoğan, less so

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“Nazis eat döner kebabs in secret”, must be one of the dumbest slogans I have seen at German protests against the far right. Yes, the popularity of the kebab in Germany has become something of a symbol of labour migration from Turkey after the second world war. And yes, Nazis get hungry, too. So what? If the consumption of ethnic-minority food was really an obstacle to the ideology of white supremacy, Germans would either be starved out by now or they wouldn’t vote for Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Neither of these is the case: the kebab is the second most popular fast food among Germans, and according to polls, the AfD their second most popular political party.…  Seguir leyendo »

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The results of the local elections held on March 31st are a milestone in Turkey’s history. With most local power now entrusted to the political opposition by voters, Turkey is no longer devoid of options; its trajectory is firmly set towards democracy again.

Despite unfair competition, especially in the allocation of state resources to the ruling party and its candidates and government control of the media, the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), of which I am a member, emerged victorious. In Istanbul, government officials and the president actively campaigned to support my opponent in the mayoral election. We won even though other opposition parties, which had allied themselves with the CHP in last year’s elections, abandoned our coalition and ran their own candidates.…  Seguir leyendo »

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Le paysage politique de la Turquie à l’issue des élections municipales du 31 mars rappelle celui de n’importe quelle démocratie européenne dans les mêmes circonstances. Dans ce pays, où les élections restent disputées, malgré l’inégalité des moyens de campagne et le climat d’intimidation entretenu par le Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP) au pouvoir, les électeurs turcs ont fait la différence entre élection nationale et locale.

Alors qu’ils avaient reconduit en 2023 l’AKP et ses alliés ultranationalistes du Parti d’action nationaliste (MHP) à l’Assemblée et à la présidence, ils ont sanctionné aux municipales un parti en panne de projet.…  Seguir leyendo »

Supporters of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leader in Turkey's opposition party, celebrate after polls closed in local elections on Sunday. (Erdem Sahin/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Europa,

It’s a dangerous moment for Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has ruled comfortably for more than 20 years, with his political opponents squabbling and in disarray. But things are clearly changing. With a younger generation of leaders and mayors, Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), beat Erdogan’s ruling conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) in local elections this weekend for the first time ever.

This feels like a big moment.

There is no mistaking that this was a protest vote: Turkish voters expressed their discontent with the president and his policies less than a year after he won the general elections.…  Seguir leyendo »

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Reuters

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Este domingo se celebran elecciones locales en Turquía. Esto poco o nada importa a los lectores españoles, ya que casi cada año hay elecciones en el país euroasiático y siempre ganan los mismos.

El presidente turco, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Pero vamos a dar algunas claves a través del cine y de las telenovelas turcas para comprender mejor Turquía, esa gran desconocida, y para que los suscriptores de EL ESPAÑOL farden de connoisseurs en las barras de los bares de Semana Santa.

Una vez más, se espera que el AKP del sempiterno presidente turco, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, gane las elecciones. Pero la alcaldía de Estambul, la mayor ciudad del país, en manos del opositor Ekrem Imamoglu (del partido de centroizquierda CHP) desde 2019, está muy reñida y el AKP podría recuperarla con su exministro de Urbanización Murat Kurum como candidato.…  Seguir leyendo »

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) addresses supporters during a rally on May 27, 2023.

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The upcoming local elections in Turkey on March 31 offer Turkey’s progressives—the social democratic main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party—the opportunity to challenge the hegemony of the ruling conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP). A win would also bolster the chances of Istanbul’s incumbent CHP mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, to succeed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when his term expires in 2028, provided that they display a unity of purpose.

The outcome of the March 31 election in Istanbul, Turkey’s biggest city, will—as has been the case before—be decisive in shaping the course of Turkish politics.…  Seguir leyendo »

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Hace una semana se celebró el Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), cita obligada para quienes aspiran a entender la actualidad con foco en el Mediterráneo y Levante, y la trayectoria de esta sedimentación de culturas que se extiende desde el Mar Negro y el Bósforo a la costa de Anatolia. La "Perla del Mediterráneo" acogió este año a 4.700 participantes de 148 países -incluidos 19 Jefes de Estado o Gobierno y 64 Ministros- bajo el lema "Impulsar la diplomacia en tiempos de confusión" ("Advancing Diplomacy In Times of Turmoil"). Más allá de la exhibición de eficaz organización, el mensaje que resume el encuentro es la ambiciosa proyección de Türkiye en un mundo en transición de poder y de poderes.…  Seguir leyendo »

¿Turquía seguirá comprometida con la reforma económica?

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Ocho meses después de un retorno sorpresivo a políticas económicas ortodoxas, las autoridades turcas siguen dando señales de su compromiso con una reforma. El Banco Central de la República de Turquía (CBRT) ha aumentado las tasas de interés 36,5 puntos porcentuales desde junio, mientras que el gobierno, a instancias del ministro de Finanzas, Mehmet Şimşek, ha ajustado la política fiscal, sobre todo incrementando los impuestos indirectos y ajustando los precios regulados.

Las autoridades, tanto fiscales como monetarias, han destacado en repetidas ocasiones el apoyo del presidente turco, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a estos esfuerzos, en busca de calmar los temores de una abrupta reversión de las políticas.…  Seguir leyendo »

Perihan Koca (left) and Kezban Konukcu (right), members of the Turkish opposition People’s Equality and Democracy Party, hold signs reading "No to NATO, Occupation, War" during the voting on a bill regarding Sweden’s accession to NATO at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara on Jan. 23. Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images

InternacionalOTAN,

This week, Turkey’s parliament finally approved Sweden’s bid for NATO membership, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan swiftly ratified the measure.

Sweden’s NATO accession has dragged on for more than a year. While every other NATO member aside from Hungary supported Stockholm’s accession, Turkish leaders accused the Scandinavian country of harboring Kurdish terrorists. They demanded that Sweden tighten its anti-terrorism laws, extradite people accused of terrorist activities in Turkey, and resume arms sales to Turkey. The United States seems to have linked approval of Sweden’s NATO membership to future U.S. sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.

As Sweden’s membership process stalled, analysts warned of the alliance’s decline and offered a range of proposed carrots and sticks to rein in Ankara.…  Seguir leyendo »

Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi, Russia on Sept. 4, 2023. Sergei Guneyev/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

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Turkey and the United States have been treaty allies since Ankara joined the trans-Atlantic alliance in 1952 by formally becoming a member of NATO. Over the ensuing 70 years, Turkey’s bilateral relationship with the United States has been through its fair share of ups and downs. In the mid-1960s, the relationship was rocked by the secret U.S. deal with the Soviet Union to withdraw Jupiter missiles from Turkey during the Cuban missile crisis and former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s letter threatening not to defend Turkey over Cyprus.

Later differences over Vietnam created an anti-American backlash in Turkish public opinion. In the mid-1970s, the Turkish invasion and occupation of Northern Cyprus led to a congressionally imposed arms embargo and subsequent limits on U.S.…  Seguir leyendo »

Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) in Athens, Greece on December 07, 2023. (Photo by Mustafa Kamaci/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Europa,

During his visit to Athens on 7 December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed a new era of friendship with Athens and talked about turning the Aegean into a sea of peace. His counterpart, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was similarly effusive and welcoming, emphasizing both sides’ shared historical responsibility to mend ties.

To outside observers, this language might come across as mere diplomatic niceties. However, context matters: only a few years ago the two countries were routinely exchanging threats, and an eruption of a conflict was seen as within the realm of possibility.

A thaw in Greco-Turkish relations is welcome news at a bilateral level, but also positive for Eastern Mediterranean security, which is currently defined by the Hamas–Israel war, unresolved conflicts in Syria and Libya, and a frozen crisis in Cyprus.…  Seguir leyendo »

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (4th right) attends the 44th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Doha, Qatar on December 05, 2023. (Photo by TUR Presidency / Murat Cetinmuhurdar / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

EuropaMundoOriente Próximo,

On 4–5 December, Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Doha to attend the ninth meeting of the Turkey–Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee and the 44th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit.

Erdogan’s attendance at the GCC summit in particular underscores the direction of Turkey’s regional policy of recent years and its approach to the Gaza war.

Indeed, Erdogan’s presence at the GCC meetings reflects the sea change in Turkey’s relations with the Arab–Gulf states, bearing in mind that Ankara was engaged in a fierce rivalry with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi only a few years ago.

Turkey’s presence at this summit also sheds light on its policy towards the Gaza war.…  Seguir leyendo »