SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Will Turkey recalibrate foreign policy in the new era SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Will Turkey recalibrate foreign policy in the new era?

The past week has marked some significant developments and changes concerning Turkish politics and the economy. Two years after the formation of the current Justice and Development Party (AKP) government under the new governance system, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has appointed a new economy management following the surprise resignation of his Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak.

November 13 2020
Turkey outperforms France, US in Caucasus SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Turkey outperforms France, US in Caucasus

An agreement that ends the six-week conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia to the benefit of the former had been pretty certain since the clashes began in late September.

November 10 2020
Turkey-US ties under Biden era SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Turkey-US ties under Biden era

As was expected, the democratic contender Joe Biden is elected as the 46th president of the United States, dashing incumbent President Donald Trump’s hopes for another four years at the White House.

November 08 2020
Bill on labor rights stirs row in Turkey SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Bill on labor rights stirs row in Turkey

It’s not very often that Turkey’s top three labor unions join forces due to their different ideological stances. The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) is a mainstream labor organization with the most members, while the Hak-Is Trade Union (Hak-İş) represents the conservative part of the Turkish working class and the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) represents the leftist part.

November 06 2020
Turkey wants Trump but isn’t ruling out a Biden win SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Turkey wants Trump but isn’t ruling out a Biden win

By this column goes to press early on Nov. 4, we will probably get the first results of the 2020 U.S. presidential elections, in which Donald Trump is trying to save his office from Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

November 03 2020
Turkey, Greece unlikely to return to the spirit of 1999 SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Turkey, Greece unlikely to return to the spirit of 1999

Turkey and Greece do not only share the beauties of the Aegean Sea, its culture and history, but also its geographical risks. Both countries host many active fault lines and dearly suffer when earthquakes jolt, as seen at times in history. The most recent one happened on Oct. 30 when a 6.6 magnitude tremor hit İzmir, Turkey’s third largest city, and Greece’s Samos Island.

November 01 2020
Internal row may further strengthen İYİ Party’s Akşener SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Internal row may further strengthen İYİ Party’s Akşener

The governmental People’s Alliance, composed of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), is following a three-legged policy against the oppositional Nation Alliance by the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the İYİ (Good Party), the Felicity Party and the Democrat Party. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is not a formal member of the alliance; it just acts as an indirect supporter of the Nation Alliance during election times.

October 23 2020
A lesson the EU should draw from the Turkish Cypriot vote SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

A lesson the EU should draw from the Turkish Cypriot vote

Turkish Cypriots elected Ersin Tatar, the head of the National Unity Party (UBP), as the fifth president in the second round of the polls over the weekend. Excluding legendary founder of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Rauf Denktaş, who stayed in power between 1983 and 2005, the remaining three presidents survived in their posts only five years, although they have a right to serve two terms.

October 20 2020
Greece’s new anti-Turkey campaign to remain futile SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Greece’s new anti-Turkey campaign to remain futile

It was interesting to observe Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’ trips to Iraq and Armenia last week. His statements at press conferences both in Baghdad and Yerevan have given the impression that Athens has now started to develop an interest in knowing what is going on in the wider region, in the Middle East and the Caucasus.

October 18 2020