Topic: Kemalism

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Two policeman standing in front of seized alcohol in Mazandaran province, Iran (image: IRIBNEWSI

Alcohol in Iran, Turkey and the USA

Are all taboos justified?

Iran's ban on alcohol has led to a rise in methanol poisonings, revealing the deadly side of prohibition. The situation mirrors past failures in the U.S. and contrasts with more lenient policies in countries like Turkey. By Niloofar GholamiMore

Alcohol consumption in Islamic countries: The devil's brew in great demandRawalpindi's Murree brewery: Beer and whisky made in PakistanBeer from the Holy Land: Kosher and halal
October 1922: After defeating Greece, cheering Turks in Smyrna (now Izmir) displayed a huge Turkish flag (image: Getty Images/Tropical Press Agency/Price)

100 years of the Turkish Republic

The legacy of the Treaty of Lausanne

One hundred years after it was signed, the Treaty of Lausanne is still the subject of political controversy and conspiracy theories. What is the accord's legacy and what role does it play today in Turkey’s domestic and foreign policy decision-making? Analysis by Yasar AydinMore

Turkey: A 100-year-old democracy with ups and downsChallenging Turkish history from the ground up: "The stories of our families" Turkey elections – the second round: Why Erdogan will win
Imprisoned politician Selahattin Demirtas (image: HDP/Presse)

Selahattin Demirtas' "Cold Front"

Political prose from prison

Selahattin Demirtas, former co-chair of the Turkish opposition party HDP, has been in prison since 2016. He has published five books during this time. The short story collection "Cold Front" is the second to be published in German. Gerrit Wustmann reviews the book for Qantara.deMore

Ankara on the defensive: Pro-Kurdish faction in Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crosshairsThe Kemalist CHP and the Kurdish HDP: Decision time for Turkeyʹs opposition Turkey election run-off: Too much politics of fear from Kilicdaroglu?
Turkish nationalist Sinan Ogan (image: DHA)

Elections in Turkey

Turkish nationalists on the rise

Neither Erdogan's botched response to the February quakes nor the ailing economy seem to have hurt his popularity with supporters. The president is still capable of turning things around, says Erkan ArikanMore

Electioneering in Turkey: Turkish right-wing populists on the riseTurkish elections: Can Turkey's Gen Z tip the scales?Elections in Turkey: The end of the Erdogan era?Germany's Turkish diaspora: Why Turks in Germany still vote for Erdogan
President Erdogan throws flowers to supporters during an election campaign event (photo: Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Turkish Presidency/AA/picture-alliance)

Elections in Turkey

The end of the Erdogan era?

As polling day on 14 May approaches, opinion polls put Turkey's opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu ahead of President Erdogan. Could this mean that Erdoğan's time at the helm of the nation is almost over? An analysis by Yasar AydinMore

Germany's Turkish diaspora: Why Turks in Germany still vote for ErdoganErdogan attacks opposition as Germany's Ozdemir sees strong opponentTurkey: What if Kemal Kilicdaroglu wins Turkey’s election?Turkey: 20 years of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKPSyrian refugees in Turkey: A hot button election issue, now more than ever
Students protest in front of Bogazici University in Istanbul (image: Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish elections

Can Turkey's Gen Z tip the scales?

In Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections on 14 May, one in five eligible voters will be under the age of 30. What does Generation Z want, and will it end up deciding the elections? By Ceyda NurtschMore

Turkey: 20 years of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKPTurkey-Syria earthquake: What future for President Erdogan and the AKP? Election run-up in Turkey: Who are Erdogan's allies?Political transition on the Bosphorus? Turkey's "woke" Generation Z haunts President Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) shakes hands with MHP head Devlet Bahceli, one of his close allies (image: DHA)

Election run-up in Turkey

Who are Erdogan's allies?

Parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey are scheduled for 14 May, with the polls pointing to a close race. Elmas Topcu takes a look at the parties that support President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's election allianceMore

Turkey-Syria earthquake: What future for President Erdogan and the AKP?Turkey: AKP ties to ultraconservative Islamic communityMafia scandal in Turkey: Mafia ties run deep in AKP politics
Man surveys devastation following earthquake in Turkey (image: Reuters)

Turkey earthquake

Whatever happened to Turkey's earthquake tax?

As countless Turks shiver in the cold, mourning their dead, many are asking why Erdogan's government has failed to instigate effective earthquake mitigation plans in a region so at risk from tectonic instabilityMore

Turkey earthquake: Where did it hit and why was it so deadly?Hope for earthquake survivors drives relief efforts
The full moon rises over the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, 14 July 2022 (photo: Ali Atmaca/Andalou Agency)

Turkey

A 100-year-old democracy with ups and downs

Turkey will mark the centenary of the proclamation of the Turkish republic in October. But 2023 will be an important year in another respect too: Turks will go to the polls in June to elect their next president – an election that could usher in a new era in its history. By Burak ÜnverenMore

Turkey: 20 years of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKPElectioneering in Turkey: Turkish right-wing populists on the riseCreeping authoritarianism: Turkeyʹs one man band
Women wearing headscarves in Emononu, Istanbul (photo: SEDAT SUNA/EPA-EFE)

Turkey's headscarf debate

The politics of hijab

In Turkey, the secular opposition is seeking to enshrine the right of women to wear a headscarf in law – scoring an own goal that plays straight into President Erdogan’s hands. Yet again, men are arguing about women's clothing. By Burak UnverenMore

Women in Turkey: The headscarf is slippingIslam and democracy in Turkey: A headscarf affair, a women's affair?Murder of women in Turkey: Femicide requires harsher sentencing
The Church of St Gregory in the ruined city of Ani, the capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom, now in eastern Turkey (photo: Filip Warwick)

Challenging Turkish history from the ground up

"The stories of our families"

More and more voices are being raised in Turkey that challenge previous versions of the country's history. These alternative accounts, still largely ignored by official quarters, are breaching longstanding taboos and deconstructing the political narrative. By Ceyda NurtschMore

Public opinion in Turkey: Dreaming of a greater republicThe Turkish state and the Kurdish question: Turkey – a battle of narratives Turkey-Armenia relations: Normalisation after 31 years of tension?The AKP's version of Turkish history: Contrasting interpretations of Gallipoli
Demonstration by supporters of Turkey's pro-Kurdish HDP party (photo: Yasin Akgul/AFP)

The Turkish state and the Kurdish question

Turkey – a battle of narratives

For a century, the Kurds and other minorities in Turkey have been subject to state repression. With his dissertation "The Kurdish Question in Turkey", political analyst Ismail Kupeli presents a new research paper on the topic. Interview by Gerrit WustmannMore

Kurdistan's decline: Iraq's beacon shines no moreKurdish autonomy in northeast Syria: Between Assad and ErdoganThe fate of the Armenians: Vakifli: The last Armenian village in Turkey
Umit Ozdag, leader of the Zafer Partisi or "Victory Party" (photo: ADEM ALTAN/AFP)

Electioneering in Turkey

Turkish right-wing populists on the rise

Right-wing radicalism and nationalism have dominated Turkish politics for decades. Now a new right-wing populist grouping is stirring things up: enter the "Victory Party". By Elmas TopcuMore

Turkish opposition: Courting Turkey’s disenchanted electorate Turkey – past, present and future: After Erdogan, what then?Turkey's local elections: Playing ping-pong with the Syrians
The flags of Turkey and the USA (photo: imago/imagebroker)

Public opinion in Turkey

Dreaming of a greater republic

Many Turks are dissatisfied with the international status of their country. At the same time, opinion polls reveal great scepticism among the Turkish population towards the USA. By Ronald MeinardusMore

Ukraine conflict: Turkey and Israel eye co-operation in Central AsiaTurkey-Armenia relations: Normalisation after 31 years of tension?Turkey and Central Asia: One nation, six states?
Flirting with nationalist support: Erdogan with MHP leader Devlet Bahceli (photo: DHA)

Turkey and Central Asia

One nation, six states?

Turkey is turning towards the Turkic nations of Central Asia, intensifying its economic, diplomatic and military relationships with these countries. So what is driving Turkey’s Central Asia policy? Are we seeing a resurgence in nationalist Pan-Turkic geopolitics? Essay by Yasar AydinMore

Turkey-Armenia relations: Normalisation after 31 years of tension?Turkey – past, present and future: After Erdogan, what then?Interview with Georgian historian Beka Kobakhidze: Europe risks being outmanoeuvred in the restive Caucasus
Turkish and Armenian flags (photo: Zoonar/picture-alliance)

Turkey-Armenia relations

Normalisation after 31 years of tension?

Turkish-Armenian rapprochement kicked off in Moscow in January, after a break of 13 years. This time, focusing on relatively easy fixes such as trade and transportation, both countries are emphasising a lack of pre-conditions. Turkey is nevertheless reluctant to let third countries, such as Russia, to play a role in the process. By Leyla EgeliMore

Georgian historian Beka Kobakhidze: Europe risks being outmanoeuvred in the CaucasusRecep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin: Sunni Islam meets Russian orthodoxyRelations between Armenia and Turkey: Uncertainty until the endThe Armenian genocide: The search for truth and the historical context

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