MURAT YETKİN

Nevruz as a symbol of Kurdish identity in Turkey MURAT YETKİN

Nevruz as a symbol of Kurdish identity in Turkey

Today, on the day of Nevruz, or Newroz as Kurds call it, the attention of millions in Turkey is focused on a message that will be conveyed to hundreds of thousands of people awaiting it in the predominantly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakır.

March 20 2015
Can Turkish social democrats do what Islamists and Kurds did MURAT YETKİN

Can Turkish social democrats do what Islamists and Kurds did?

After suffering from a fragmented political life with short-term and inept coalitions, Turkey turned into a “dominant party” country after the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in 2002, winning consecutive elections under the leadership of Tayyip Erdoğan, who is now the president of the republic

March 18 2015
Kurdish opposition HDP hits Erdoğan’s super-presidency plan for Turkey MURAT YETKİN

Kurdish opposition HDP hits Erdoğan’s super-presidency plan for Turkey

Selahattin Demirtaş, the co-chairman of the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), did something rare in Turkish politics on March 17.

March 17 2015
Understanding the failure of Erdoğan’s Syria and Egypt policies MURAT YETKİN

Understanding the failure of Erdoğan’s Syria and Egypt policies

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has reacted strongly against U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s comments about the eventuality of coming to terms with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to end the civil war there.

March 16 2015
Socialist International wary over attacks on CHP and fair elections MURAT YETKİN

Socialist International wary over attacks on CHP and fair elections

Luis Ayala, the Chilean secretary-general of the Socialist International, came to Turkey last week to express concern about the media campaign by pro-government papers against the main opposition, the social democratic Republican People’s Party (CHP), and one of its MPs, Umut Oran, and show solidarity with them

March 15 2015
Kurdish votes key to Turkish elections MURAT YETKİN

Kurdish votes key to Turkish elections

The rise of the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in recent polls has started to put pressure on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) and President Tayyip Erdoğan, as Turkey heads to parliamentary elections on June 7.

March 13 2015
Another threshold for Kurdish issue this weekend MURAT YETKİN

Another threshold for Kurdish issue this weekend

Turkey’s Kurdish problem could take yet another step this weekend toward a political solution, according to Pervin Buldan, an MP for the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and an active member mediating the talks between the government and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for the last three years.

March 12 2015
Is ISIL after a second Kobane in Ras al-Ayn MURAT YETKİN

Is ISIL after a second Kobane in Ras al-Ayn?

There are reports indicating that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) may be preparing to launch an attack on the Syrian town of Ras al-Ayn near the Turkish border.

March 11 2015
What is behind Turkey’s intelligence chief returning to his post MURAT YETKİN

What is behind Turkey’s intelligence chief returning to his post?

A month after his resignation from his position as head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT), Hakan Fidan announced on March 9 that he wanted to return to his post, withdrawing his candidacy for parliament in the June 7 elections on the list of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti).

March 10 2015