As of March 23, 2025, the Turkish government has appointed trustees to 13 municipalities since the March 31, 2024 local elections. Below is the updated list, including the latest appointment in Şişli Municipality: Updated List of Trustee Appointments Hakkari Municipality (June 3, 2024): DEM Party Mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış was replaced by Hakkari Governor Ali … Read more
We live through exciting days, but I feel like PKK’s announcement did not get adequate coverage among the regional and global developments. Since most of the negotiations were secret, we do not know much, but I am glad to hear this anyway! Öcalan’s call got a response from his organizationç The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) … Read more
I will be following this development closely in the next days… PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan called on the group to lay down arms in a historic statement on February 27, 2025. In a message read by a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, Öcalan urged the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to … Read more
Here is a summary of what happened in a day: DEM Party MPs Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan, who met with PKK leader Öcalan after the process started with the call of MHP leader Bahçeli, started to meet with political parties together with Ahmet Türk, the mayor of Mardin province Ahmet Türk. The DEM … Read more
It looks like the Axis of Resistance lost an important member. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left Syria. The Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Assad has stepped down from his presidential post and departed the country[4][5]. This development comes amid a rapid advance by opposition forces who have seized control of Damascus, the capital … Read more
That’s just sad. Probably some blackmailing moves to force the opposition to a constitutional change… On November 4, 2024, the Turkish government took action to remove three elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office in southeastern Turkey, replacing them with state-appointed officials[1][2][3]. This move has significant political implications and has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between … Read more
Just as we were getting happy with a possible peace process, a major coup added to the new arrests of Kurdish politicians, Mr Özer is a notable personality of Kurdish origin, and he was elected through CHP ranks. I suspect he is a victim of behind the door struggles within the state circles. Ahmet Özer, … Read more
Right after the talk of a new peace process, the terror attacks happen. We do not know the details yet! A few hours ago, a terrorist attack targeted the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) in the Kahramankazan district near Ankara, Turkey. The incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to … Read more
A new Kurdish peace process is on the way. MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) leader Devlet Bahçeli made some significant statements about PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan during his party’s group meeting today. Here are the key points: Bahçeli called for Öcalan’s isolation conditions to be lifted, suggesting that Öcalan could speak in the Turkish Grand National … Read more
The unthinkable happened, and the nationalist MHP leader shook hands with DEM deputies. I suspect that after the Sinan Ateş murder, MHP was blackmailed into accepting a possible rapprochement. This may, in turn, be related to new constitution debates. A new constitution may allow Erdoğan to be elected president again. An ‘event’ and afterwards: The handshake … Read more
There were some debates about “normalization,” but unfortunately, it does not seem applicable to Kurdish politicians. The outcome of the Kobani trial in Turkey resulted in convictions of former pro-Kurdish party officials, including Selahattin Demirtaş, who received more than 40 years in jail for instigating the 2014 Kobanî protests. Prosecutors had initially sought 38 “aggravated … Read more
After a travesty of law, Second-placed candidate to be mandated in Van DEM condemns ‘unlawful’ attempts to oust elected mayor in Van I am pretty sure this is what “they” plan to provoke the opposition to. Let’s see how it goes… With the additional decision given by Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 04.04.2023 regarding … Read more
19:15 The higher Election Council does not allow to announce results yet, but the vibe in opposition is that AKP may be losing. 18:20 Istanbul mayoral contest takes centre stage as Turkey votes in local elections Turkey local elections marred by irregularities in Kurdish provinces As polls close: YSK bans journalists from taking footage of … Read more
Instead of questioning her in Istanbul, she was taken from her home and sent to Mersin. The alleged crime is that she made an interview with a person under investigation (!). Prof. Sirman is a rare kind of anthropologist with a permanent emphasis on the field. I was stunned when I heard that she learned … Read more
It might be a first in recent years, one NATO member against the other… According to multiple sources, including Reuters[1], Defense One[2], and Politico[3], a US F-16 fighter jet shot down an armed Turkish drone on October 5, 2023, that was flying over a base in northeast Syria where American forces are located. The drone … Read more