Politics
Türkiye’s AK Party begins annual retreat
Top figures of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will convene in a retreat in the northwestern town of Sapanca between June 26 and June 28.
The 33rd Consultation and Assessment Convention, as it is formally known, will be an event where the parties’ chair, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and members of the administrative and executive boards will discuss the future policies and exchange ideas.
Such retreats have been a staple of the party in the past two decades, but mostly involved lengthy presentations by the party’s administrators. This time, the party decided to change the format in a more engaging manner, and the presentations will be replaced by discussions, media outlets reported.
The convention will begin with a screening of “Şule: Your Story,” a TV series about the life of late Şule Yüksel Şenler, an icon of Muslim women’s struggle. “Bir Adam Yaratmak” (“The Creation of A Man”), a big screen adaptation of a play by famed poet and playwright Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, will also be screened at the retreat. Erdoğan is expected to make an inauguration speech at the convention, which will continue with two sessions entitled “Party Policies” and “Common Mind.” At the first session, which will be attended by members of the central executive committee of the party, future goals of the AK Party will be assessed, along with a consultation on the “strategic vision” of the party, according to the party sources. The session aims to create a road map for the party, which will mark its 25th anniversary in August.
Throughout the retreat, lawmakers will inform ministers about requests, suggestions and demands of voters in their constituencies. The ministers will deliver briefings about their work.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would “probably do something” that would make Türkiye happy, signaling a potential shift on Ankara’s requests for F-35 fighter jets and jet engines needed for its indigenous Kaan fighter aircraft program, ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.
Speaking to reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump pointed to Türkiye’s NATO membership when asked whether he was going to Türkiye “with a big gift bag.”
“Look, he’s a member of NATO. Some people don’t consider himself (a NATO member), but he really is. He’s a strong member of NATO,” Trump said.
“Yeah, I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy,” he added.
Türkiye is getting ready to host NATO leaders at a summit in the capital Ankara on July 7-8.
Rutte, for his part, said Türkiye has a “huge” defense industrial base.
Trump replied: “People don’t know how big Türkiye is in terms of the military. It’s very strong. They have a lot of our equipment, a very strong military, because of him.”
Trump added that he likely would not have attended the summit had it not been hosted in Türkiye by President Erdoğan.
“I’m going out of respect to President Erdogan,” Trump said.
The engines, produced by General Electric, will power Türkiye’s first indigenous combat jet KAAN, a major project launched in 2016 as part of NATO member Ankara’s efforts to be more self-sufficient in its defense.
President Erdoğan had previously called Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 fighter jet program “unjust,” stressing that its reentry is key to NATO security. Ankara was excluded from the U.S.-led multinational program in 2019 over its purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems. Ever since, it has repeatedly called the move unfair and voiced hope that the sides could overcome the issue during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term.
Despite boasting NATO’s second-largest army, Türkiye often faced arms embargoes in the past. That pushed it to significantly boost domestic capabilities and curb foreign dependence over the last two decades.
Today, it produces a wide range of vehicles and arms types domestically, including its own drones, missiles and naval vessels. It’s also developing its own fifth-generation fighter jet.
Named Kaan, the stealth fighter is sought to replace the Air Force Command’s aging F-16 fleet, which is planned to be phased out starting in the 2030s.
Mayors of Seferihisar and Balçova districts of Türkiye’s third largest city Izmir were detained on Thursday in another operation against rampant corruption at municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Seferihisar’s Ismail Yetişkin and Balçova’s Onur Yiğit were among 24 suspects detained on charges of corruption and bribery. This was the third wave of operations against alleged corruption at the Seferihisar municipality that led more detentions earlier. Other suspects include municipal staff and businesspeople.
Suspects alleged of taking and/or giving bribes for construction and zoning permits violating regulations and the evidence against them include suspicious cash flow on bank accounts, especially before March 2024 municipal elections.
Dozens of mayors and municipal bureaucrats from the CHP were detained or arrested in the past two years in investigations focusing on corruption. Majority of allegations involve bribery in return of construction permits which are otherwise subject to strict regulations, and rigging the lucrative tenders of municipalities.
Izmir is a stronghold of the CHP and is among cities most affected by what critics call poor management, especially in terms of financial resources of municipalities. Since the 2024 elections, the district municipalities of the city saw major strikes by employees complaining unpaid wages. Meanwhile, the city’s mayor Cemil Tugay recently announced his resignation from the party after the CHP’s former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated to office by a court verdict in a case of alleged vote-buying in a 2023 intra-party election.
Türkiye will mark the 10th anniversary of the defeated July 15, 2016 coup attempt with a nationwide series of commemorative events aimed at honoring those killed and injured while reinforcing public awareness of the events, organizers announced Thursday.
The July 15 Association unveiled the program during a press conference at the July 15 Memory Museum in Istanbul, saying activities will take place throughout July, with some projects continuing year-round.
Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mehmet Sülün said the commemorations are intended not only to remember the events of July 15 but also to preserve public memory for future generations.
“The purpose of these events is to honor our martyrs and remind society of the sacrifices made by our nation on that night,” Sülün said, adding that the program was prepared in coordination with the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, public institutions and civil society organizations.
July 15 Association President Ismail Hakkı Turunç noted the lessons of the failed coup attempt should not be forgotten even a decade later.
“We cannot simply say it happened and move on,” Turunç stressed. “There are important lessons to be learned from this attack against our nation’s values and future.”
Turunç, who said he took part in the civilian resistance in Istanbul on the night of the coup attempt, recalled losing 13 friends in Saraçhane while 47 others were wounded. He reminded the resistance, in which 253 people were killed and nearly 2,800 were injured nationwide, represented a collective stand by the Turkish people.
Academic symposiums will be held in Istanbul and Ankara from July 9 to July 11, while Türkiye’s major suspension bridges, including the July 15 Martyrs Bridge and the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, will be decorated with Turkish flags.
Other events include Quran recitations at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, programs for the children of martyrs and veterans, blood donation campaigns, public exhibitions, memorial runs, cycling and motorcycle tours, and a flotilla of 253 boats in the Marmara Sea.
On July 15, commemorations will culminate with an official ceremony in Istanbul’s Saraçhane district, alongside projection mapping displays at Galata Tower and the Maiden’s Tower.
Organizers said additional projects, including traveling exhibitions, public discussions and educational initiatives, will continue throughout the year to preserve the memory of the failed coup attempt.
Türkiye’s Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) has removed 62 former judges and prosecutors from their positions over their roles in the investigation and prosecution of the Ergenekon case, a move that also clears the way for the Treasury to seek reimbursement of compensation previously paid to victims following court rulings.
The decision, issued by the HSK’s Second Chamber, concerns judicial officials who served during various stages of the Ergenekon investigation and trial. Most of those named had already been dismissed from the judiciary after the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt over alleged links to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which Ankara blames for orchestrating the coup attempt.
According to the disciplinary ruling, the chamber imposed a total of 230 dismissal sanctions involving 62 former judges and prosecutors. Proceedings against two individuals were terminated due to their deaths.
Among those listed in the decision are former prosecutor Zekeriya Öz and former prosecutor Fikret Seçen, both of whom were key figures during the Ergenekon investigations.
The Ergenekon case began in 2007 after weapons were discovered in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district and eventually led to the prosecution of hundreds of military officers, journalists, academics and other public figures accused of belonging to an alleged clandestine network plotting to overthrow the government.
Following the failed coup attempt in 2016, Turkish authorities reassessed many of the investigations and trials carried out by members of FETÖ’s network within the judiciary. Officials have since argued that the Ergenekon proceedings were part of a broader effort by the terrorist group to remove senior military personnel and expand its influence within state institutions.
The HSK said disciplinary complaints related to the Ergenekon proceedings had remained pending for years while criminal investigations continued. The chamber decided to proceed with disciplinary action without waiting for the conclusion of all criminal proceedings, citing the requirements of disciplinary law and the need to protect public confidence in the judiciary.
The ruling is also expected to have financial consequences.
The HSK authorized the state to seek recourse against those held responsible for compensation payments made by the Treasury after rulings by the Constitutional Court and other courts found rights violations in relation to the Ergenekon proceedings. The decision opens the possibility of recovering compensation already paid by the state from the former judicial officials concerned.
The disciplinary sanctions vary among those named in the ruling.
Former Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court President Hasan Hüseyin Özese received 19 dismissal sanctions, while Sedat Sami Haşıloğlu received 17 and Hüsnü Çalmuk 16. Former prosecutor Zekeriya Öz received 13 sanctions, while Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel and Ercan Fırat each received 12. Several other former judges and prosecutors received multiple dismissal sanctions, bringing the total number of disciplinary penalties to 230.
The ruling marks one of the most extensive disciplinary decisions taken in connection with the Ergenekon proceedings and represents another step in Türkiye’s continuing efforts to address alleged FETÖ influence within the judiciary following the 2016 coup attempt.
Justice Minister and HSK President Akın Gürlek repeatedly pledged to continue efforts to eliminate illegal structures within the judiciary and strengthen public confidence in the judicial system. The latest ruling is being viewed by judicial observers as one of the most comprehensive disciplinary measures related to the Ergenekon case since the aftermath of the failed coup.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has extended condolences and pledged solidarity with Venezuela after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck the country, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 700 and prompting a national state of emergency as rescue teams continue digging through widespread destruction.
The disaster unfolded late Wednesday when two strong quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, struck in quick succession along Venezuela’s northern Caribbean coast.
The second tremor hit roughly 40 seconds after the first, amplifying structural stress across already weakened buildings and infrastructure.
The shallow depth of the earthquakes intensified the impact, turning routine urban centers into scenes of collapse and chaos, with reports of damaged roads, disrupted communications and widespread power outages.
Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced a national state of emergency as emergency crews were deployed across affected regions, particularly in Yaracuy state and nearby coastal areas.
Early figures placed the death toll at 32, with more than 700 injured, though officials warned those numbers remain fluid as search-and-rescue operations continue in heavily damaged urban zones.
In a message posted on social media platform X, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed sorrow over the loss of life and sent wishes for recovery to those injured. He stressed that Türkiye shares the grief of the Venezuelan people and reaffirmed that Ankara stands ready to support its “friends in difficult days,” framing the response as both humanitarian and diplomatic solidarity.
The epicenter of the quakes was reported in Venezuela’s Yaracuy region, near San Felipe and Moron, areas that sit roughly west of Caracas.
The seismic activity, occurring at shallow depths estimated between 10 and 22 kilometers, is considered unusually destructive for the region, with experts noting that shallow quakes tend to transmit stronger surface shaking and cause greater building failure.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the earthquakes disrupted critical infrastructure across multiple states.
Transportation networks, including sections of airport operations and urban transit systems, were temporarily halted or restricted.
Hospitals in affected areas were overwhelmed by incoming casualties, while emergency responders worked through aftershocks and unstable structures in search of survivors.
Authorities in Caracas and surrounding regions have warned that aftershocks are expected to continue, complicating rescue operations and recovery efforts.
International assistance has begun to mobilize, with several governments signaling readiness to provide humanitarian aid, search-and-rescue teams and emergency supplies as damage assessments expand.
The disaster marks one of the most severe seismic events Venezuela has experienced in decades, a country that lies near active tectonic boundaries but rarely sees earthquakes of this magnitude in rapid succession.
Scientists say the close timing of the two major quakes likely contributed to the scale of structural collapse, as buildings weakened by the first shock were hit again before stabilizing.
The crisis also underscores growing diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Caracas.
Türkiye and Venezuela have expanded ties in recent years across trade, energy and mining sectors, with high-level talks held in Istanbul earlier in June between Erdoğan and Venezuela’s leadership.
Those discussions focused on strengthening economic cooperation, adding context to Ankara’s swift humanitarian response.
Türkiye has increasingly positioned itself as a rapid responder in global disasters, often deploying search-and-rescue teams through its AFAD disaster agency.
The country’s own experience with major earthquakes in recent years has shaped its emphasis on international humanitarian outreach.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) denied the extraordinary congress request by former Chair Özgür Özel but set September as the month to begin the ordinary congress process. Özel hopes to take back his seat with an extraordinary intra-party election after a court ousted him from office over vote-buying allegations in a 2023 intra-party vote. Reinstated Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu resisted the call since he returned to office in May, but his spokesperson, Müslim Sarı, announced the congress on Tuesday evening.
Sarı’s statement came after a meeting of the party’s assembly under the leadership of Kılıçdaroğlu and days after supporters of Özel delivered a petition bearing signatures of hundreds of delegates calling for a congress to the party’s headquarters.
Özel counts on a new election, while the Kılıçdaroğlu administration continues its purge of pro-Özel figures in the party, under the name of “clearing the party of corruption.” On Tuesday, the party announced the removal of chairs of CHP branches in Malatya and Kayseri. The removals and new appointments have incited tensions in the party. Earlier, pro-Özel groups had resisted handing over the administration to a new chair in the western city of Izmir, and similar scenes were repeated late Tuesday in Malatya. Barış Yıldız, removed from the office in Malatya, refused to leave the building for hours. His successor, Hakan Satılmış, notified police and forced his way into the locked building with the aid of a locksmith. Satılmış told reporters that they tried to carry out the transition in a calm manner, but the former administration opposed them.
New party
Though he seeks re-election in the CHP, Özel also continues preparations to launch a separate party. Rumored to be named “March Party” in reference to Özel’s slogan “marching to power,” the party may be founded if the congress process takes longer than expected. The Özel camp hopes to take back the party or establish a new one before the 2028 general elections.
Sources close to Özel told the Nefes newspaper, a media outlet supporting the former chair, that the new party would be a “Türkiye alliance” rather than a left-wing movement. The CHP, founded by the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, portrays itself as a social democrat party and is a member of the Socialist International. It failed to win any election in decades, and after the victory of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in its first election more than two decades ago, it has strictly ranked second in consecutive election races. The AK Party links its success to catering to a wide variety of the electorate from all across the political spectrum. Sources also said they would field a presidential candidate in the next election who would be championed by voters from all walks of life.
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoBREAKING NEWS | The bribery scheme was exposed in the license and settlement investigation in the Adalar Municipality: Millions of liras in the name of donations…
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoMinister Tekin received the Ambassadors of Russia and Egypt in Ankara
-
Politics2 days agoÖzel calls Turkish opposition leader to hold intra-party election
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoPresident Erdoğan met with Pezeşkiyan: The agreement reached is satisfactory
-
Sports3 days agoMessi breaks World Cup scoring record as Argentina reach knockout stage
-
Politics2 days agoTurkish authorities detain 209 in major anti-terror sweep
-
Politics3 days ago‘Türkiye can expose realities of war’: Sudanese official
-
Refugees2 days agoSecurity raid in Turkish capital detains 200 ahead of NATO summit