MURAT YETKİN

The most controversial vote in Turkey in years MURAT YETKİN

The most controversial vote in Turkey in years

A relative of mine was an observer of a vote count at an Istanbul ballot box for the April 16 referendum on whether to shift Turkey from a parliamentary system to an executive presidential one. As she later told me, the count resulted in 275 “No” and 84 “Yes” votes

April 17 2017
An exhausting victory for Erdoğan MURAT YETKİN

An exhausting victory for Erdoğan

President Tayyip Erdoğan announced his narrow win for the constitutional shift from a parliamentary to an executive system as a result of the April 16 referendum, representing a radical change in Turkey’s administrative regime.

April 16 2017
Another moment of destiny for Turkey MURAT YETKİN

Another moment of destiny for Turkey

The referendum on April 16 will mark another turning point or, rather, crossroads in Turkey’s political history.

April 14 2017
Things that Erdoğan’s advisers may be hesitant to say MURAT YETKİN

Things that Erdoğan’s advisers may be hesitant to say

On April 13, just days from the constitutional referendum in Turkey, the media attack by the “yes” front reached a new peak.

April 13 2017
Why all this worry if ‘Yes’ has already won MURAT YETKİN

Why all this worry if ‘Yes’ has already won?

Over the past week or so, the main theme of President Tayyip Erdoğan’s referendum campaign has transformed from promoting the benefits of the constitutional shift consolidating all executive power in presidential hands to bashing the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

April 12 2017
Not a very fair referendum campaign, is it MURAT YETKİN

Not a very fair referendum campaign, is it?

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has long complained that public broadcaster TRT is not giving sufficient coverage to his “No” rallies, ahead of the April 16 referendum on shifting Turkey to an executive presidential system as pushed by President Tayyip Erdoğan

April 11 2017
Panel on coup attempt seeks reply from army, intel MURAT YETKİN

Panel on coup attempt seeks reply from army, intel

One of the key points in the row between President Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu ahead of the April 16 referendum campaign about whether to shift Turkey from a parliamentary to an executive presidential system has been the dark points from the foiled July 15, 2016, coup attempt in the country.

April 10 2017
No to chemical massacres but OK to conventional attacks MURAT YETKİN

No to chemical massacres but OK to conventional attacks?

The U.S. strike early on April 7 on Syrian air base of Shayrat is likely to change the entire Syria equation, if not signal a new set of circumstances for the Middle East

April 07 2017
Gas tragedy puts Syria’s sustainability in question MURAT YETKİN

Gas tragedy puts Syria’s sustainability in question

The United Nations failed on April 6 to produce a resolution for the second time in two days regarding the Syrian gas attack on April 4, which killed at least 86, many of them children, in the town of Khan Sheikhoun near Idlib, in the northwest of the country, because of objections by Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

April 06 2017