Politics
🗳️🔍 Talks, Crackdowns and the Post-Erdoğan Question: Is Turkey Heading for an Early Election?
Turkey’s political landscape is being reshaped by a cluster of interlinked developments: key cabinet changes in justice and interior affairs, renewed negotiations involving Abdullah Öcalan and the DEM Party, mounting legal and political pressure on the CHP, and increasingly open discussions within the AKP about a post-Erdoğan future – including the growing prominence of Bilal Erdoğan. Behind the scenes, these moves are widely seen as election-focused, with speculation that the government is preparing both the judicial ground and voter base for a possible early poll, while recalibrating alliances with the MHP and positioning itself for a sensitive transition period ahead.
👨👩👧👦⚖️ Parliamentary Report on Youth Crime: Family Responsibility at the Heart of the UK Model
Briefing the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s Commission on Children Drawn into Crime, academic Saliha Merve Kaya explained that the UK system places strong emphasis on family responsibility and diversion rather than punishment. In England, where the age of criminal responsibility is set at 10, children are steered towards counselling, guidance, education programmes, community service and restorative justice measures, while parents can face direct sanctions, including fines of up to £1,000, if obligations are breached. Officials stressed that taking children to court is not necessarily a deterrent, with diversion programmes instead focusing on apologies to victims, restitution, compensation for harm and work in the public interest.
Ruling Government (JDP and NMP Coalition)
🕊️🤝 İmralı Delegation Breaks Silence After Erdoğan Meeting
Following their meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the presidential palace, the DEM Party’s İmralı delegation issued its first written statement, stressing the need for concrete and confidence-building steps in the ongoing process. The delegation said there was a shared commitment to continue the talks with determination and underlined that parliament, relevant ministries and public institutions must intensify their work. Particular emphasis was placed on preparing the report of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission in an inclusive manner, capable of providing a solid foundation for democratisation and freedoms, and on swiftly establishing a broad legal framework that reflects the widest possible consensus for Turkey’s democratic future.
📰⚖️ Draft Report Leaks to Pro-Government Press: No ‘Right to Hope’, Changes to Trusteeship on the Table
According to reports published in pro-government outlets such as Türkiye and Milliyet, the draft report prepared by the so-called National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission does not include any reference to the much-debated “right to hope” for Abdullah Öcalan, despite earlier calls from MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli. The draft instead focuses on measures to encourage the PKK to lay down arms and to facilitate the return of militants, alongside proposals to implement European Court of Human Rights and Constitutional Court rulings and to amend key legislation such as the Political Parties Law and the Election Law. It also contains recommendations on the controversial practice of appointing state trustees (kayyım), while outlining, in broad terms, the need for legal changes to the Penal Code, enforcement laws and anti-terror legislation, without going into detailed provisions such as staged releases or amnesties.
🗳️🥊 Punches Thrown as New Ministers Sworn In: Oath Chaos in Parliament
Turkey’s Grand National Assembly descended into turmoil as newly appointed Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi arrived to take their oaths, triggering fierce protests from opposition MPs. Lawmakers from rival parties clashed physically around the podium, with punches thrown, an MP injured, and the oath-taking carried out inside a protective ring formed by ruling-party deputies amid jeers and flying copies of the constitution. The CHP declared the oaths invalid, arguing that Gürlek’s appointment violated constitutional norms and that the chaotic conditions rendered the ceremony legally void, while the government insisted the swearing-in was a mere formality following presidential appointments already published in the Official Gazette.
🔄🏛️ Cabinet Shake-Up Rumours: Erdoğan Set to Dismiss Four More Ministers
Reports circulating in Ankara suggest that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s cabinet overhaul may be far from over. Following last week’s decree that replaced the justice and interior ministers, AKP insiders claim the reshuffle will continue, with as many as four additional ministries facing leadership changes in the coming days. The initial moves, published in the Official Gazette on 11 February, have fuelled speculation that a broader reorganisation is under way as Erdoğan recalibrates his government amid mounting political and economic pressures.
🪑⚡ Bilal’s Chair Set for November
President Erdoğan is said to be preparing the ground for a major political handover, going beyond a pre-election cabinet reshuffle to reshape the AKP around his son, Bilal Erdoğan. According to Ankara sources, broad consensus has formed for Bilal Erdoğan to become AKP leader ahead of the next presidential race, with November 2026 widely mentioned as the moment Erdoğan steps aside from the party helm. Support from coalition partner MHP is reportedly secured, while party structures are already being aligned for the transition. Critics warn the move risks reinforcing perceptions of dynastic politics, yet insiders see it as a way to freeze internal power struggles, manage the post-Erdoğan era and prepare for a possible early election, even as new opposition alliances quietly take shape and public discontent continues to simmer beneath the surface.
🏛️🔥 Two Ministers Sacked: Bahçeli Trains His Fire on the CHP
Following the dismissal and replacement of the Interior and Justice Ministers, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli issued his first response by strongly criticising the CHP over the heated scenes in parliament. In a statement shared on social media, Bahçeli said the cabinet changes were fully lawful and legitimate within the constitution and the presidential system, reaffirmed his party’s full backing for newly appointed Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, and accused the CHP of anti-democratic and “fascistic” behaviour during the swearing-in ceremony. He argued that the opposition’s protests amounted to hostility towards national will and state order, stressing that the MHP stands firmly behind President Erdoğan’s decisions and the new ministers “to the very end.”
Economy
🛒🌙 Ramadan Price Freeze: Food Wholesalers Step In
Food wholesalers at Istanbul’s Food Wholesalers Market (İGTOT) have announced a Ramadan price freeze on essential staples including milk and dairy products, cooking oil, rice, dried beans and dates, aiming to help consumers access basic food more affordably during the holy month. İGTOT Chairman Mustafa Karlı said prices have been fixed across the market and will be strictly enforced, with traders pledging to self-monitor and absorb costs from their own profit margins if necessary. The decision, taken jointly with shopkeepers, is intended as a goodwill gesture for Ramadan, with wholesalers insisting that no trader will be allowed to sell the same products at higher prices once the freeze is in place.
📦⚠️ Exporters Sound the Alarm: Iraq Market Shrinks, Ankara Urged to Step In
The Mediterranean Exporters’ Associations (AKİB) kicked off 2026 with exports worth $1.41 billion, recording strong growth in fresh fruit and vegetables and ready-to-wear clothing, but warned of worrying signs in the Iraqi market. AKİB Chairman Veysel Memiş said exports to Iraq fell in January due to political and administrative inconsistencies between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government, calling for direct diplomatic intervention from Ankara to prevent further losses. He also cautioned that the EU’s new free trade agreements with MERCOSUR countries and India pose serious medium- and long-term risks for Turkey, potentially eroding market share and opening the door to duty-free competition, while welcoming the government’s newly announced TL 100 billion financing package as a crucial lifeline for industry and exporters.
🛒🇹🇷 Temu Makes a Comeback in Turkey with a Customs Workaround
Chinese e-commerce giant Temu has quietly returned to the Turkish market after halting shipments due to the scrapping of simplified customs procedures. The company has re-entered via a new structure called WhaleCo, acting as the official importer and handling all customs processes itself. Under the new system, taxes are paid at checkout, customs clearance is managed by the company, and products are delivered straight to customers’ homes without any extra paperwork. However, there is a catch: orders below 580 TL are no longer accepted, and product variety is limited for now, with a broader range expected to follow in the coming months.
📉🏛️ Jobs Shift as Public Sector Grows While Private Employment Shrinks
In 2025, as tight monetary policy and global turbulence weighed on Turkey’s economy, overall employment edged down, driven entirely by losses in the private sector, while public employment continued to rise modestly. According to seasonally adjusted data, total employment fell by 77,000 year-on-year to 32.7 million, with private sector jobs dropping by nearly 170,000. In contrast, public sector employment increased by more than 92,000, pushing the state’s share of total employment up to 16.3 per cent. Although debates persist over the size of the public workforce, international comparisons show Turkey’s public employment ratio remains below the OECD average, suggesting the shift reflects economic strain on private firms rather than an unusually large state sector.
📦🔥 Inflation Hits the Ramadan Food Parcel: Prices Up Elevenfold in Eight Years
Inflation has taken a heavy toll on Ramadan food parcels, traditionally prepared to support low-income households, with the price of the cheapest package rising elevenfold since 2018. According to CHP MP Cevdet Akay, a parcel that cost just 49.90 lira eight years ago now sells for around 550 lira, an increase of more than 1,000 per cent. Akay argues this is not merely a price rise but a collapse in purchasing power, noting that even the minimum wage now buys far fewer parcels than before. Once a symbol of solidarity, Ramadan packages have effectively become a luxury item, highlighting how soaring living costs and economic mismanagement are making access to basic food increasingly difficult for millions.