Turkey Archive

On June 24, Turkish voters will head to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections that are being held approximately 15 months ahead of schedule. Popular wisdom among many Turkey watchers is that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose to call the elections early, back in April, because economic headwinds could worsen in the coming year, making it more risky to wait until November 2019, when the elections were originally due to take place. The stakes of this month’s vote are enormous. The elections are the last step before Turkey formally transitions to an executive presidential system of government, which Erdogan […]

A new mosque in traditional Ottoman style is currently being built in Istanbul’s central Taksim Square. Due to be completed later this year, it is just one of thousands of new mosques going up across Turkey. But the construction in Taksim is particularly symbolic—an apparent sign of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s conquest of the political landscape and ability to reshape the Turkish nation in line with his wishes. He is currently campaigning for snap presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24 in which he could further cement his grip. Despite a surprisingly energetic opposition campaign, Erdogan remains the odds-on favorite. […]