Politics
Türkiye remembers Feb. 28 coup that reshaped politics, society
Twenty-nine years have passed since Türkiye’s Feb. 28, 1997, National Security Council (MGK) meeting, widely described as a “postmodern coup,” a process that reshaped the country’s political, social and institutional landscape for years.
The meeting, held amid escalating tensions between the military establishment and the elected government, produced decisions that ultimately forced the resignation of the coalition led by Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan.
The developments surrounding the Feb. 28 process remain a defining episode in Türkiye’s political history, often cited as an example of military-bureaucratic intervention against democratic will.
The events unfolded during the tenure of the 54th government, formed by the Welfare Party (RP) and the True Path Party (DYP), which took office on June 28, 1996.
Erbakan served as prime minister, while DYP leader Tansu Çiller held the posts of deputy prime minister and foreign minister. The government quickly became the focus of controversy amid accusations from secular circles that it posed a threat to the constitutional order.
Rising tensions
Political and institutional pressure intensified in early 1997. The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Supreme Court warned the Welfare Party over activities during a January visit by Erbakan to Kayseri, stating that uniform clothing worn by local party officials violated the Political Parties Law and demanding disciplinary action.
The warning included the possibility of a closure case if the party failed to comply.
Tensions escalated further following a Jan. 31 event known as “Jerusalem Night,” organized by Sincan Mayor Bekir Yıldız of the Welfare Party and attended by Iran’s ambassador to Ankara. The speeches and displays at the event fueled nationwide debate over the government’s orientation.
On Feb. 1, despite objections and resistance from some coalition partners, Erbakan submitted for Cabinet signature a decree allowing the headscarf at universities, another development that intensified political polarization.
Investigations, military signals
Judicial authorities opened investigations into the Jerusalem Night event, while Iran’s ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to receive a formal protest.
One of the most memorable moments of the period came on Feb. 4, when tanks and armored vehicles moved through the Ankara district of Sincan en route to a military exercise area. The display was widely interpreted as a warning from the armed forces and caused public alarm.
That same day, Interior Minister Meral Akşener suspended Mayor Yıldız from office. He was later arrested along with several others on charges including aiding an illegal organization and inciting public hatred.
The developments triggered sharp political debates, drawing in then-President Süleyman Demirel and exposing growing strains within the coalition.
‘Balance adjustment’ to democracy
Public tensions spilled into the streets, with civil society organizations arranging large demonstrations in Ankara.
Following mounting criticism, Iran’s ambassador left Türkiye. Meanwhile, Demirel requested an investigation into alleged “religious fundamentalist” staffing in municipalities.
Erbakan sought to calm concerns, stating after a Feb. 21 meeting with Demirel that Türkiye did not face a regime crisis.
On the same day in Washington, then-Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Çevik Bir made a remark that would become emblematic of the period, saying the military had given “a balance adjustment to democracy” in Sincan.
Decisive MGK meeting
Amid intensifying controversy, Demirel sent Erbakan a letter on Feb. 26 outlining concerns about the direction of the regime.
Two days later, the MGK convened under Demirel’s chairpersonship in one of the longest meetings in its history. The session lasted eight hours and 45 minutes, running from midafternoon until nearly midnight.
Top civilian and military officials attended, including Chief of General Staff Gen. Ismail Hakkı Karadayı and senior commanders of the armed forces.
Following the meeting, the council issued a statement emphasizing that no concessions would be made in implementing constitutional principles and warning against activities seen as undermining the secular, democratic order.
The decisions were later followed by a list of 20 measures presented to the government, including extending compulsory education to eight years and restructuring religious vocational schools.
Pressure on government
Erbakan initially resisted some of the measures, and political tensions deepened as voices within the DYP began calling for withdrawal from the coalition.
Çiller met Erbakan to persuade him to sign the MGK decisions. At a press conference, Erbakan pushed back against political maneuvering, declaring, “Governments are formed in Parliament, not at the MGK.”
Nevertheless, he signed the decisions on March 5.
Debates over their implementation, particularly the education reform, accelerated divisions between coalition partners and weakened the government’s position.
Political restructuring
As tensions grew, Çiller requested that the premiership be transferred to her in July. Erbakan refused.
President Demirel stressed that the MGK decisions were constitutional and warned that failure to implement them would disrupt state functioning.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court chief prosecutor filed a case on May 21 seeking the closure of the Welfare Party on the grounds that it had become a focal point of activities against secularism.
Within the military, the General Staff established the Western Working Group on June 11 to monitor religious activity, a move later cited by critics as evidence of institutional pressure.
On June 18, Erbakan resigned, hoping that Çiller would be tasked with forming a new government under a revised coalition arrangement.
Instead, after consultations with opposition leaders, Demirel gave the mandate to Mesut Yılmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP). The decision drew strong criticism from the outgoing coalition partners.
End of Welfare Party era
The new government was formed on June 30 under Yılmaz, in coalition with other parties.
One of the most consequential policies of the Feb. 28 process, eight years of uninterrupted compulsory education, was approved by Parliament in August and implemented at the start of the 1997-1998 academic year.
The political repercussions continued.
On Jan. 16, 1998, Türkiye’s Constitutional Court ordered the closure of the Welfare Party, ruling that it had violated the principles of the democratic and secular republic and become a center of anti-secular activity.
Several senior figures, including Erbakan, received five-year political bans. The decision, published in the Official Gazette on Feb. 22, brought the party’s 14-year political life to an end.
Lasting impact
The Feb. 28 process is widely viewed as a defining moment in Türkiye’s modern political history, an intervention carried out without a direct military takeover but through coordinated pressure from military, judicial and bureaucratic institutions.
Today, for many, the episode represents a period in which an elected authority was constrained by unelected actors. The events are frequently invoked as a cautionary example of tutelary intervention and as a turning point that reshaped Türkiye’s democratic trajectory.
Nearly three decades later, the legacy of Feb. 28 continues to influence political discourse, institutional reforms and debates over civil-military relations, religious freedoms and the limits of democratic authority in Türkiye.
Türkiye called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to return to the negotiation table regarding the recent tension between both sides, Turkish diplomatic sources said Friday.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a series of phone calls with several of his regional counterparts on Friday to discuss the recent tensions between Islamabad and Kabul and pledged to help facilitate both sides sitting at a negotiation table, sources said.
Fidan spoke separately with Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the sources said.
The conversations focused on the latest tensions and diplomatic developments between Pakistan and Afghanistan, amid heightened regional attention to security and political dynamics between the two neighbors.
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy cross-border fire on Thursday after Kabul launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions, prompting Islamabad to accuse the Afghan Taliban administration of “unprovoked action” and insisting its forces delivered an “immediate and effective response” across multiple sectors of the frontier.
Cross-border clashes intensified Thursday along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier, with both sides reporting military operations and casualties in some of the most serious fighting since recent tensions began to escalate.
The airstrikes follow months of hostilities between the two countries. The last serious flare-up was in October, after which a fragile cease-fire brokered by Türkiye and Qatar was reached.
In November 2025, Istanbul hosted the third round of Afghan and Pakistani delegations for high-level talks on a cease-fire agreement between the two neighbors.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry had previously announced that the session would bring together senior officials from both countries to address the unresolved issues. Neither side, however, has disclosed who will be representing them in Istanbul, and the lack of clarity has raised questions about the effectiveness of the dialogue.
The two-day talks in Istanbul, mediated by Türkiye and Qatar, were the third round of peace negotiations that were viewed as one of the most significant diplomatic efforts between the two neighbors since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan 2021. Despite intense back-channel diplomacy, officials said discussions stalled late Friday without tangible progress.
Throughout the second round of negotiations, which took place last year, officials from both Kabul and Islamabad traded accusations of incompetence and inefficiency, further complicating the peace process.
The talks were marked by repeated deadlocks, though the two sides ultimately managed to agree on extending the cease-fire in place.
A senior official from Türkiye’s ruling party said Friday that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a firm and determined will to advance cooperation across the Turkic world, announcing plans to promote Turkology departments in Turkish universities.
Kürşad Zorlu, deputy chair of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and head of relations with Turkic states, spoke to reporters in Baku following a conference marking the 100th anniversary of the First Turkology Congress, held on Feb. 26, 1926.
Zorlu said the original congress brought together scholars from across the Turkic world to negotiate issues of common language and adopt the Latin alphabet, describing the anniversary as “a historic day” for Turkic nations.
He noted that communication among Turkic states weakened during the Soviet era but said they are now strengthening unity under the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
Zorlu recalled that member states had reached a consensus on adopting a 34-letter common alphabet framework.
“With the will of our heads of state, the dedicated efforts of our institutions and the belief of our peoples, we believe we will carry this into the future,” he said.
He added that Türkiye’s Education Ministry had agreed to introduce new measures to encourage and prioritize Turkology departments, arguing that strengthening the field would bolster linguistic convergence and help transmit shared history and culture to future generations.
Türkiye on Saturday refuted social media claims alleging illegal crossings from the Iranian border amid Israeli, U.S. attacks on Iran.
“The images are old footage of unknown time and place; it has been determined that they were deliberately circulated again following recent regional developments,” Türkiye’s Center for Combating Disinformation said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
It added that there is no concrete evidence linking the images to Türkiye’s border line, noting that such posts aim to create a negative perception among the public by targeting border security.
“Türkiye’s border security is maintained uninterruptedly on a 24/7 basis through multi-layered systems,” the center said.
It also urged that unfounded claims not be given credence and that only statements from official authorities be taken into account.
Israel and U.S. announced early Saturday a joint operation against Iran, citing “threats” posed by the “Iranian regime.”
The attacks come as talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program had been ongoing under Oman’s mediation. A new round of talks in Geneva ended on Thursday.
Last June, the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Israel-Iran war.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who rose to become one of Türkiye’s most influential politicians from humble roots, did not celebrate his 72nd birthday personally, but supporters cheered the long-serving leader. A song devoted to “Reis” (chief) adorned the social media accounts of supporters of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which released the original song accompanied by a video reflecting Erdoğan’s career and life. The song with a refrain “to many more years, reis” highlights how the most famous man in Türkiye right now started out on the cobblestone alleys of Istanbul and rose to the halls of power of Ankara.
Erdoğan is probably the most renowned politician in Türkiye, especially for those born in the 2000s, as he is one of the unchanged figures in the ranks of governance. He first led the AK Party to victory in 2002 and, since then, served either as prime minister or president. His incumbent tenure is expected to end in 2028, though it is unclear whether he will compete, since current laws block his re-election. Yet, he may be able to run again if Parliament approves an early election before his tenure ends.
It is up to Erdoğan to decide his political future, but his legacy is already full of achievements crammed into 24 years. Erdoğan is credited with launching an unprecedented development drive in every field across the country, introducing a new style of politics mixing the good ideas of old political mindsets. Carving out an image of a man of the people, Erdoğan became the voice of the disenfranchised communities, from Muslims ostracized from the public sector, to Alevis and Romanis. Erdoğan and the party, thus, garnered votes from right-wing parties of yesterday as well as left-leaning voters unsatisfied with the performance of opposition “social democrats.”
Though wrinkles and a slower pace give away his advanced years, Erdoğan occasionally proves that age is just a number. Most recently, he was captured on video while shooting hoops with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. A football player in his youth, Erdoğan took up basketball in recent years, occasionally playing matches with intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın and minister of youth and sports Osman Aşkın Bak.
The president was born in Kasımpaşa, a working-class neighborhood on Istanbul’s European side, in 1954 to parents Ahmet, a ferry captain who originally hailed from Black Sea region’s tea hub Rize, and housewife Tenzile. The eldest of three children, Erdoğan was named after his grandfather Tayyip and Recep, the Turkish name of the seventh month of the Islamic calendar, Rajab.
In his early years, Erdoğan was passionate about football and played in amateur clubs in the 1960s. In the 1970s, he made his first foray into activism and politics. In this tumultuous decade, he was a member of the National Turkish Students’ Union. In the same decade, he enrolled in a business school at Marmara University and started rising in the football world of Istanbul with a transfer to the IETT Sports Club.
In 1976, he was elected as head of the youth branch of the National Salvation Party (MSP) for Istanbul, a tenure that would shape his political future. The MSP was the second major party co-founded by Necmettin Erbakan, Erdoğan’s political mentor. The young man rose in politics and his personal life as he married Emine Erdoğan two years later and welcomed his first child in 1979. But a military coup in 1980 disrupted the future president’s life as it did to millions of others. As political parties were shut down one by one by a military junta, Erdoğan had to suspend his political activities. In the same decade, he scrapped his budding football career as well. After graduating from Marmara University in 1981, Erdoğan pursued a business career and enrolled in the army. But politics have always been in his heart, and he joined the Welfare Party (RP) of Erbakan in 1983. A familiar face in the party due to his MSP past and activism in the Students’ Union, Erdoğan quickly rose in the party and was elected as Istanbul chair of the RP in 1985. A skilled orator and organizer, Erdoğan is credited with boosting the RP’s image in Türkiye’s most populated city.
In 1989, Erdoğan embarked on his long journey in political offices when he was nominated as mayor of the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul by the RP. He lost but was undaunted. In the 1991 elections, he was nominated for Parliament as a lawmaker from Istanbul, losing again. Erdoğan, however, did not lose hope and further emerged as a popular figure in the RP.
His big break in municipal politics came in 1994 when he beat relatively more popular candidates of other parties and was elected mayor of Istanbul at 40. This proved Erdoğan’s breakthrough and exposed him to national recognition. Erdoğan is credited with resolving the city’s chronic problems, from severe pollution to addressing longstanding water shortage problems. But Erdoğan faced another hurdle during his tenure. At a time of rising opposition to the RP, which formed a coalition government with the Right Path Party (DYP) by military brass eager for a repeat of the 1980 coup, Erdoğan found himself the target of the witch hunt against the conservative population. A poem deemed “reactionary” by the secular elite led by top generals landed him in a brief court battle. In 1997, Erdoğan, a poetry lover who still peppers his speeches with verses from his favorite poets, was sentenced over this poem, which cost him his seat as Istanbul mayor. He started serving his sentence in 1999 and was released a few months later. The incident only served to boost his image in politics.
With the RP suffering from the fallout of a 1997 coup, Erdoğan decided to carve out his own political path and founded the Movement of Virtue with fellow political activists and politicians after his prison stint. The movement evolved into the AK Party in 2001. The rest was history for Erdoğan, who became a household name in Türkiye in his roles as prime minister first and then, president. Along the way, he weathered multiple crises, from an attempt to shut down his party through a lawsuit by the elite circles he beat at the elections, multiple attempts by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), first to undermine his government and then to assassinate the president, as well as the 2013 Gezi Park riots, which sought to overthrow him.
Chief prosecutor-turned-Justice Minister Akın Gürlek vowed that he would work to end the lengthy duration of trials and ensure a swift conclusion in response to citizens’ complaints. Speaking to the broadcaster NTV on Thursday, Gürlek reiterated plans to establish a “justice hotline” where the public would “feel that their complaints are heard.”
“They will be able to find out why their cases are stalled or delayed,” he said.
Some trials, especially involving multiple plaintiffs, may take years, though Türkiye managed to improve the courts’ capacity in recent years.
Gürlek said they had a performance system in place for judges. “Judges have to follow several principles required for their promotion. They are determined by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors. They are required to issue a verdict within a certain time frame, and their verdicts should be upheld by the Court of Appeals. We will now apply these regulations in a stricter way,” Gürlek said.
“We have to ask a judge why he or she did not conclude a divorce trial for eight years,” he said, giving one example of prolonged trials. “If they cannot present a reasonable excuse for delay, inspectors will examine the cases,” he said.
“Citizens have a right to know why an eviction case took five years. They will be informed of time limits and causes of delays,” the minister said.
Fight against drugs
Gürlek said drug abuse is a “bleeding wound” for society and emphasized the need to examine why young people turn to drugs. Gürlek said authorities first identify the user in drug investigations, followed by the street dealer, then the main distributor and ultimately major cartels.
“This system works the same way all over the world. In our narcotics operations in Istanbul, we captured two primary cocaine distributors. Likewise, we have conducted operations against major cartels abroad. The fight against drugs proceeds step by step. We will pursue it to the end. We must drain this swamp. The future of our youth is entrusted to us,” he said.
Gürlek also said the term “children driven to crime” should be reconsidered while referring to minors involved in crimes.
“We are examining examples in modern and comparative law. In Türkiye, criminal responsibility for children ranges from ages 12 to 18. In Norway, for example, the age of criminal responsibility has been lowered to 10. We are studying these models. We must determine why children fall into a void and turn to criminal organizations. If necessary, we will increase their penalties. We need to revise enforcement regulations. Unfortunately, our enforcement law contains provisions specific to minors, meaning one day spent in prison counts as two. If necessary, we will amend enforcement rules so that minors serve their full sentences,” he said. Gürlek stressed that beyond preventing children from being drawn into crime, their general morality must also be protected.
“Unfortunately, on social media, there are broadcasts and individuals that undermine public morality and encourage children toward genderlessness. We will combat these as well. If there is a legal gap in the Turkish Penal Code, we must introduce sanctions. The future of our children is entrusted to us. We must protect public health and public morality. We have identified deficiencies in the Turkish Penal Code. There are those who publish content on social media that undermines public morality, encourages children toward genderlessness and steers them toward deviant movements. We will fight them as well. Our teams have begun technical work. We hope to implement these measures soon as part of the 12th Judicial Reform Package (expected to be presented to Parliament for approval in the future),” he said.
A Turkish F-16 that crashed shortly after takeoff had been deployed on a rapid response mission to investigate an unidentified radar contact near the Bulgarian border, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.
During the incident, which took place very early on Wednesday, the pilot tried to eject at the last minute but lost his life in the crash, the ministry said.
“On Feb. 25, after an unidentified radar track was detected on our border with Bulgaria, two F-16 fighter jets took off from … Balıkesir on an alert response mission,” it said of a city 200 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of the coastal city of Izmir.
Unidentified radar tracks are picked up by air traffic surveillance systems and can be caused by a range of issues, from weather conditions to a flock of birds, stray weather balloons or drones.
“Radio communication and radar contact with one of the aircraft was lost at 12:56 a.m. (9:56 p.m. GMT on Tuesday),” it added.
Although the pilot had “activated the ejection system at the very last moment in an attempt to abandon the aircraft,” he died in the crash, it said, without giving further details.
The wreckage of the F-16, a Block 50 1993 model, was found during search and rescue operations, with the cause of the incident “to be clarified after a detailed examination by the crash investigation team,” it added.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday assured that the authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash and that all necessary procedures are being carried out by the relevant institutions.
In November, Türkiye suspended flights by its C-130 cargo planes after one crashed in Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 on board.
Other F-16s, manufactured by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, have crashed in recent months.
In January, a Taiwanese F-16 crashed into the sea during a routine mission, with its pilot, who ejected, reported missing.
Last August, another F-16 crashed in Poland while rehearsing for an air show, killing its pilot.
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