Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

With his election victory, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured power for years to come. Despite an energetic campaign, the opposition did not manage to break the Turkish patriarch’s power or even increase its share of the vote. Society seems to have become entrenched in its various camps and there is a risk that tensions will escalate further. Ulrich von Schwerin reports from IstanbulMore

As the UKʹs Windrush scandal of a few weeks ago demonstrated, European countries still have much to learn when it comes to integrating and treating migrants with respect. In "Der ewige Gast" (The Eternal Guest), Can Merey draws on his father's experience to explain why many Turkish immigrants have never really felt at home in Germany. By Ulrich von SchwerinMore

Since the attempted coup in Turkey in July 2016, the accusation that the Gulen movement was behind the failed putsch has met with scepticism in the West. A new book shows, however, that the movement was never just about dialogue and education, but has instead always sought to grasp the reins of state. By Ulrich SchwerinMore

Although the presence of an armed group on Turkey′s border – especially one allied to the PKK – was inevitably going to be perceived as a threat, Ankara′s Afrin offensive has been given short shrift in Germany. Commentary by Ulrich von SchwerinMore

The crushing of the Islamic Gulen movement has left a gaping void in Turkey that other organisations are now rushing to fill, with people jostling for the tens of thousands of now-vacant jobs. Conservative foundations and religious orders stand to benefit most from the sell-off. By Ulrich von SchwerinMore

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, which once vowed to eliminate hereditary rule, large family dynasties are increasingly dominating the political landscape. Critical voices assert that the Shah has been replaced by a clerical "king" as ruler of the country, complete with his own court and state nobility. However, some of the hereditary princes are demonstrating remarkable independence. By Ulrich von SchwerinMore

Anything is better than waiting. Even deportation back to Turkey is no longer such a frightening prospect for refugees stranded on Lesbos. But now, Ankara says it is no longer willing to take back rejected asylum seekers. Ulrich von Schwerin reports from LesbosMore