Institute for Diplomacy and Economy

OPINIONS

What Does the Muted Reaction from the West to Imamoğlu’s Arrest Tell Us?

by Enes Esen, published on 20 March 2025
The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu on charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist group, has sent shockwaves through Turkey. While opposition leaders decry the move as a "coup against our next president," the reaction from Western capitals has been notably restrained or absent.

Can Europe Trust Turkey in Its Defense Plans?

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 13 March 2025
When the idea of a European army resurfaces, Turkey often emerges as a potential partner. Its strategic location and military capabilities make it an attractive ally. Turkey’s democratic shortcomings have long blocked its EU membership bid, yet it might still play a key role in a new European defense framework. But is Erdoğan’s Turkey a reliable partner or a wildcard?

The Damascus-SDF Agreement: Promises Made, But the Devil Is in the Details

by Enes Esen, published on 12 March 2025
In a landmark agreement, the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached a deal on March 10. At the heart of the deal is the integration of all civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the administration of the Syrian state. Nonetheless, the agreement’s intentionally vague language on military integration suggests that key issues remain unresolved, with implications for Turkey and the US.

Avrupa Savunmasında Yeni Dönem ve Türkiye

by Enes Esen, published on 6 March 2025
Trump’ın yeniden seçilmesiyle ABD’nin Avrupa’ya yönelik tutumundaki değişim, Avrupa’nın savunma ve ekonomik bağımsızlık arayışlarını hızlandırıyor. Ekonomik alanda ABD, müttefiklerine yüksek gümrük tarifeleri uygularken, savunma alanında ise Rusya karşısında Avrupa’yı kendi kaderine terk edebileceğinin sinyallerini veriyor. Avrupa’nın askeri kapasitesini artırması zaman alacağından, Türkiye’nin bu süreçteki rolü önem kazanıyor.

Imamoğlu’s Presidential Bid and Rising Tensions in Turkey

by Enes Esen, published on 25 February 2025
Ekrem Imamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul from the opposition Republican Party, has announced his candidacy for Turkey’s presidential election. More than 110 parliamentarians have already endorsed his bid. This early announcement raises questions regarding the urgency: with three years remaining until the scheduled elections, such an announcement is highly atypical in Turkey.

Almanya’da Federal Seçimler ve Türkiye’ye Etkileri

by Yasir Gökçe, published on 24 February 2025
23 Şubat’ta gerçekleşen Almanya Federal Seçimleri, ülkenin siyasi manzarasında önemli bir dönüm noktasını temsil ediyor. Bir zamanlar Angela Merkel’in partisi olan, su an liderliğini Friedrich Merz’in yaptığı Birlik Partileri (CDU/CSU), oyların %28,5'ini alarak en güçlü parti olarak öne çıktı. Aşırı sağın temsilcisi AfD ise %20,5 oy oranıyla rekor bir sonuç elde ederek ikinci parti konumuna yükseldi.

REPORTS

MODERNIZING THE TURKEY–EU CUSTOMS UNION: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

by instituDE, published in March 2025
The Turkey–EU Customs Union, established in 1995, has been a defining feature of trade relations between Turkey and the European Union. Over the past three decades, the global economic landscape has evolved significantly, necessitating a modernization of the agreement to address new trade realities, regulatory developments, and emerging geopolitical challenges.

TURKEY‘S MASS PURGE AS VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ICCPR

by instituDE, published on 23 October 2024
'A gift from God' was one of Erdoğan's first descriptions related to coup attempt in July 15. At first no one realized that God's gift meant a chaotic environment in which he needed to declare a national emergency with no checks and balances and then transform Türkiye’s parliamentary democracy into an executive presidency.

JUDICIAL CORRUPTION IN TÜRKİYE

by instituDE and Arrested Lawyers, published on October 2024
This submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) highlights severe issues undermining the integrity of Türkiye's judiciary, particularly focusing on rampant judicial corruption and impunity as well as human rights abuses which they facilitate. Based on the most recent incidents of corruption concerning members of the judiciary who serve in courts in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, this report seeks to examine the high-level corruption within the judiciary and the Turkish government’s failure or even willful ignorance in addressing it.

VIDEOS

What is the PKK? Inside Turkey’s Recent Peace Talks

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 12 March 2025
Turkey has initiated a new round of talks with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a.k.a. PKK. PKK's founding leader called the group to lay down their weapons and dissolve the organization. The PKK has declared a ceasefire. Turkey seems to be closer to peace more than ever. Yet, ironically, the country is getting more and more authoritarian every passing day. The question is whether the authoritarian peace is possible?

Ve Ticaret Savaşları Başladı!

by Mehmet Demirbaş and Haşim Tekineş, published on 5 March 2025
Amerikan Başkanı Donald Trump Kanada, Meksika ve Çin'e gümrük vergileri koydu. Trump AB'ye de vergi koyacağını belirtiyor. Bu vergiler Amerika'yı, dünya ekonomisini ve Türkiye'yi nasıl etkileyecek?

Beyaz Saray'da Kavga: Oval Ofis'te Trump-Zelenski Atışması

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 1 March 2025
Ukrayna devlet başkanı Zelenski'nin Beyaz Saray ziyareti ters tepti. Trump ve Zelenski arasındaki ilişkiler yumuşayacak diye beklerken taraflar arasındaki ilişki daha beter bir şekilde koptu.

BOOK REVIEWS

The Silivri Post or Woe to the Vanquished

by Enes Esen, published on 8 November 2024
Silivri Postası can be divided into two main parts. The first part covers Türköne’s analysis of Turkey’s political transformation over the past 20 years, particularly the aftermath of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The second part is his prison journal, documenting his daily routine, encounters with prisoners from various political and social backgrounds, personal reflections, political analyses, and thoughts on the books he read. This honest testimony offers valuable insights into Turkey’s recent political history.

Turkish Diplomats from an Empire to a Nation State

Diplomat memoirs are always fun to read. They meet with famous historical personalities, and they witness historical events. Because of their education and unique lifestyles, they are usually colorful characters which make their memoirs more fun. Yet, more interestingly, they live and work at the liminalities of the state, its organization, and official ideology. Like military outposts at the border, a diplomatic mission is located at the far end of the state organization. Diplomats work at this borderline and operate between outside and inside of the state. This liminality makes diplomat memoirs more interesting as they show how a state’s policies, interests, identity, and ideology are constantly tested by the external world, as well as power struggles in their home capital from where they are usually far away.

Coming to Terms with Lausanne Treaty and the Search of Real Peace

by Haşim Tekineş, published on 11 September 2024
Lausanne Treaty is one of the litmus tests that can reveal someone’s worldview and ideology in Turkey. Yet, for Islamists, who regard themselves as the losers of the new deal in Turkey, despised the treaty as a conspiracy against the Turkish nation while Kurds believed it ended the dream of free Kurdistan. Even after 101 years, Turkey still struggles to coming to terms with the Lausanne treaty.