Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

August 17, 2026

Ankara 9:50 pm

22°C

Fireworks explode over Islamabad

Analysis

How Israel's rivalry, defense deals prompted Turkey to join Mecca pact

Turkey’s growing rivalry with Israel and mounting regional instability are driving its defense alignment with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, despite risks of strategic entanglement and friction with NATO partners.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Exclusive

Turkey set to sign charter for Saudi-led Red Sea coalition on Friday

Servicemen of Yavuz class, TCG Turgutreis (F-241), warship stand at attention on the deck as they participate in the live-fire phase of the "Blue Homeland-2026" (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Explainer

Three ways China benefits from Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact: What to know

SPA

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

A picture shows election flags displaying imprisoned Selahattin Demirtas.

Turkey’s jailed Kurdish leader quits active politics after Erdogan’s victory

Selahattin Demirtas' announcement comes amid heated public debate over whether Kemal Kilicdaroglu would resign after he was defeated by President Erdogan in Sunday’s runoff.

Erdogan MBZ

Turkey, UAE ratify $40 billion trade deal after Erdogan's victory

Abu Dhabi’s ratification of the partnership agreement came three days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s election victory.

Turkish actress Merve Dizdar poses during a photocall after she won the Best Actress Prize for her part in the film "Kuru Otlar Ustune" (About Dry Grasses) during the closing ceremony of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 27, 2023.

Turkey's conservatives lash out at actress Merve Dizdar after Cannes win

Angry reactions to actress Merve Dizdar’s acceptance speech at the Cannes film festival may foreshadow more crackdowns on the liberal arts sector as Erdogan and a new conservative parliament takes the reins.

Howard Eissenstat and Amberin Zaman

LISTEN: Turkey scholar Howard Eissenstat on the dynamics of Erdogan's enduring success

In the latest episode of Amberin Zaman's podcast "On the Middle East," Howard Eissenstat offers insight on the results of Sunday's runoff election in Turkey, and discusses what lies ahead for Erdogan's next term.

BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey's opposition licks wounds with eye on next year's local elections

A morale-sapping defeat in the presidential and parliamentary elections has Turkey's opposition fretting over the March polls, when it will have to defend its 2019 municipal wins.

Portuguese air force F-16 military fighter jets participate in NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission in Lithuanian airspace near Siauliai, May 23, 2023.

Biden links Turkey's F-16 sale with Sweden's NATO bid in call to Erdogan

US President Joe Biden congratulated Turkey's incumbent president and expressed intent to move forward on F-16 sales to Turkey and Sweden's bid to join NATO.

Washington Connection

Israeli President Isaac Herzog (L) and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan shake hands during a press conference in Ankara, on March 9, 2022. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel quick to congratulate Turkey's Erdogan, expects boost in ties

The phone calls of President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reelected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reflect Israel’s hope for preserving and expanding rehabilitated bilateral ties.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Men drink chai in the street the day after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was re-elected on May 29, 2023 in Istanbul,Turkey. Erdogan won another five-year term after being forced into a runoff with the opposition politician Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan prevailed despite criticism of his management of the country's economy and the government's response to the devastating earthquakes earlier this year. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Turkish lira slips to new low as Erdogan forms economic team

Turkey's currency has dropped again in the wake of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reelection.

Flags fly over Taksim Square showing Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and CHP presidential candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu on May 13, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. On May 14th, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face his biggest electoral test as the country goes to the polls in the country's general election. Erdogan has been in power for more than two decades -- first as prime minister, then as president -- but his popularity has recently taken a hit due to Turkey's ongoing economic crisis and his gover

How Erdogan’s reelection will shift Turkey's foreign policy goals

Erdogan’s desire to build a legacy as an above-party national leader requires him to sustain and nurture the notion of a “strong Turkey” in foreign policy.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at his final election campaign rally of the second round of the election campaign on May 27, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. President Erdogan was forced into a runoff election when neither he nor his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP), received more than 50 percent of the vote on the May 14 election. The runoff vote will be held this Sunday, May 28. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Turkey's Erdogan wins election, solidifying his grip on power

As foreign leaders rushed to congratulate President Erdogan over his election victory, the president maintained a polarizing tone against his rivals during his victory speech.

People chat outside a poling station in a school yard on May 28, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. President Erdogan was forced into a runoff election when neither he nor his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP), received more than 50 percent of the vote on the May 14 election. The runoff vote will be held this Sunday, May 28. (Photo by Ed Ram/Getty Images)

Turkey's Erdogan wins another term, enters third decade in power

Incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the lead against Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Turkey’s fateful runoff.

Turkey election

Analysis

Turkey’s Kilicdaroglu scapegoats Syrian refugees in bid to defeat Erdogan

Opposition leader sides with hard-liners advocating expulsion in last-ditch effort to unseat Erdogan in election that should turn on economy.

Week in Review

Andrew Parasiliti

By Week in Review , Andrew Parasiliti