The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is going through a challenging period, but a new survey shows it remains the country’s leading political party. A poll conducted by research company Asal among 2,020 people between Oct. 4 and Oct. 10 found that 31.6% of respondents would vote for the party if a general election were held today.

The main opposition New Party (YP) followed with 25.2%. The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) ranked third with 8.8%, slightly ahead of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the AK Party’s partner in the People’s Alliance. The Good Party (IP) followed the MHP with 7.1%, ahead of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which received 5.1%.

The IP was founded by former MHP members, while Özgür Özel’s ouster as CHP chairman in May led to the establishment of the YP by Özel and fellow CHP lawmakers in July. The Victory Party (ZP), also founded by former MHP members, trailed the CHP in Asal’s poll with 3.4%.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s chief adviser Mehmet Uçum, who also serves as deputy chair of the Presidency’s Legal Policies Board, sought to clarify the debate over the date of the next elections last month. Uçum told journalists that the elections would most likely be held on April 16, 2028, the anniversary of a 2017 referendum on the transition to an executive presidential system. He also stressed that this would be the last election in which Erdoğan would be eligible to run.

Uçum said the elections could be held on that date if Parliament approved their renewal, a move that would require the support of 360 lawmakers. He described the possibility of an election in the last quarter of 2027 as “low,” amid opposition calls for an early vote.

Under Turkish law, the next general election would normally be held in May 2028. However, the Constitution allows Parliament to call an early election with the support of at least 360 of its 600 lawmakers, a move that would open the way for Erdoğan to seek another term. The People’s Alliance holds 326 seats in Parliament.

The government has repeatedly insisted that elections will be held on schedule. Erdoğan, who became prime minister in 2003, was elected president in 2014 after serving three terms as prime minister.

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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Ünal Üstel announced “Target 2033” on Monday, an ambitious set of plans to be developed jointly with Türkiye to shape the future of the country on the divided island of Cyprus.

Speaking at the launch of the program in Lefkoşa (Nicosia), Üstel laid out plans to cut energy costs by at least 50%, construct 15,000 social housing units, resume Cyprus Turkish Airlines (KTHY) flights in 2028 and launch general health care insurance next year.

The event in Lefkoşa was entitled “Projects Making Life Easier” and aims to boost the welfare of the TRNC, which was isolated by the international community. 2033 in the title refers to the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the TRNC.

Üstel said they signed protocols with Türkiye for the allocation of about TL 75 billion ($1.52 billion) in resources to realize the projects in energy, health care, transportation, technology, housing, education, agriculture and social support. “We will continue working for the country we dreamed of,” he said.

Üstel said projects to complete an electricity interconnection with Türkiye and a natural gas pipeline are also targeted for completion in this period, highlighting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s support. “Despite all the obstacles posed by numerous international organizations and the Greek Cypriot side, we will definitely complete the electricity interconnection project with Türkiye via cable,” Üstel said.

Üstel said an additional 300 megawatts of natural gas-fired power generation capacity and a 40-megawatt backup unit will be added to the existing 430-megawatt capacity of the Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority (KIB-TEK). He said the energy infrastructure will be renewed within five years through an investment of approximately $200 million. Electrical lines will be laid underground, starting in Lefkoşa, while a solar power plant with a capacity of up to 100 megawatts and a 25-megawatt energy storage unit will also be built. “We will reduce energy costs for households and businesses by at least 50% through interconnection, natural gas, solar energy and storage units. These investments will put an end to power outages, one of the biggest problems facing our country,” Üstel said.

Üstel announced that a new health care protocol would be prepared with Türkiye, aiming to allow TRNC citizens covered by the General Health Insurance scheme to receive treatment at contracted hospitals in Türkiye. “We will enable all citizens covered by the General Health Insurance scheme to receive treatment from all contracted hospitals and health care facilities in Türkiye under the same terms while they are there, under the protocol we will sign with Türkiye,” he said.

Noting that four meetings had been held with Turkish officials, Üstel said the protocol would be discussed during his visits to Ankara, with the system targeted to launch on March 1, 2027.

As part of health care investments, Üstel said the 343-bed New Lefkoşa State Hospital was scheduled for completion in 2027, while the Karpaz Pamuklu State Hospital was expected to be completed by the end of 2026. He also announced plans to build a new state hospital in Iskele and three oral and dental health hospitals in Lefkoşa, Gazimağusa (Famagusta) and Girne (Kyrenia). The health care system will also receive a helicopter ambulance, and a new 112 emergency coordination center will be established in Nicosia.

Üstel said the government aimed to relaunch Cyprus Turkish Airlines, declaring that “Cyprus Turkish Airlines will be back in the skies in 2028, after a 16-year hiatus.”

He argued that the airline’s return to service would boost tourism and help stabilize ticket prices. Üstel also said more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) of roads had been built or renovated over the past five years. An additional 150 kilometers of road investments are planned for the new term, he said, outlining projects including the Haspolat-Atatürk Teacher Training Academy road, the Ercan-Iskele dual carriageway and the Girne-Güzelyurt West Coastal Road.

Üstel announced the establishment of a Maritime Affairs Department and said Girne Tourism Port and Gazimağusa Port would be modernized within two years. Lefke Port and its marina would be restored, while a new marina would be built in Iskele.

Üstel said work had begun on a fiber-optic infrastructure project being carried out with Türkiye. Following talks with Turkish telecoms provider Türk Telekom, work would begin simultaneously at both ends of the island, he said.

“Within one year, the fiber-optic project will provide 150,000 households and businesses across the TRNC with high-speed internet, allowing them to access internet speeds five times faster at much more affordable prices,” Üstel said.

Recalling that a protocol signed with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz had been referred to the Constitutional Court, Üstel said an additional protocol had been prepared, and the project had been resubmitted to the TRNC Assembly for ratification.

Üstel also announced the “Cyprus Tech” project, saying tax exemptions and employment incentives would be offered for investments in software, artificial intelligence, information technology, cybersecurity and advanced technologies. The entire TRNC will be turned into a hub for technology investment, he said.

Recalling that social housing projects had been relaunched after nearly 30 years, Üstel said the government would increase its target for an ongoing 3,000-home investment program to 15,000 homes in the new term.

He said approximately 5,000 citizens would be offered low-interest, long-term loans under the “Home-Building Loan” scheme.

Üstel also announced new family support measures. Working women with children up to age 6 would receive child care support equivalent to half the minimum wage, while women who are not registered with the social security system and could not enter the workforce because of child care responsibilities would receive monthly support equal to one-third of the minimum wage, he said.

Value-added tax (VAT) on consumer goods for children up to age 12 would be eliminated, Üstel said, adding that elderly citizens and those requiring care would receive assistance equivalent to half the minimum wage.

He also said first-time homebuyers would be allowed to use 50% of their savings in the Provident Fund without having to repay it. An additional 200 people with disabilities would be employed in the public sector, while social security premium support for women entrepreneurs would be extended from 60 months to 72 months, he added.

Outlining measures to combat the rising cost of living, Üstel said the government aimed to eliminate VAT on essential consumer goods, provide freight support for imported products and extend the VAT deferral period for imports to 90 days.

“We will prevent a product sold for 100 Turkish liras in Türkiye from being sold for 150 liras in our country,” he said.

Üstel added that a comprehensive support package for young people would be announced within a week. He said construction of the New Atatürk Stadium and Sports Complex was targeted to begin in early 2027. The 500-space parking lot planned for the complex would also serve as an emergency assembly area, he added.

Three new sports halls would be built in Iskele, Lefke and Gazimağusa, Üstel said, announcing plans to establish a Youth and Sports Ministry in the new term.

The Lefkoşa Cultural and Arts Center would be completed within two years, while multipurpose youth centers would be established in all six districts, he said.

In education, Üstel said 30 new schools and 622 classrooms had been added over the past five years, with six school projects still underway.

He also said approximately TL 7 billion in support had been provided to agriculture and livestock, while the agricultural support budget had increased by 321%.

Noting that the Century’s Water Project, implemented with Türkiye, was being expanded, Üstel said work was continuing to extend water supplies to the Mesaoria Plain following their delivery to the Güzelyurt Plain.

Commenting on economic indicators, Üstel said the TRNC’s gross national product increased from TL 74 billion in 2022 to approximately TL 333 billion in 2025, while per capita national income rose from $12,245 to $20,121 over the same period.

Protocols with Türkiye

He said protocols signed with Türkiye had brought approximately TL 75 billion in resources to the TRNC.

During his government’s tenure, Ercan Airport was completed, state hospitals in Girne and Güzelyurt were opened, local government reform was implemented, and more than $200 million in investments and contributions were provided to KIB-TEK, Üstel said.

Expressing gratitude for Türkiye’s support, Üstel said: “I would like to thank, in the presence of all of you, the Turkish nation and, in particular, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Lefkoşa and its institutions for the support they have provided under the Economic and Financial Cooperation Agreements for the projects we have completed to date and the many major projects planned for the coming period.”

Üstel said new investments would continue in line with the TRNC’s 2033 vision, adding that other major projects that had not yet been announced would be unveiled to the public at two separate launch events.

Authorities apprehended 17 suspects on Oct. 7 in yet another operation targeting corruption allegations engulfing municipalities. The deputy mayor of Esenyurt, Istanbul’s most populous district, was among them. New details from the investigation indicate that Yusuf Ulutaş, a lawyer who previously served as deputy mayor of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, enriched himself through bribes.

A report by the Sabah newspaper says Halil Yılmaz, a businessman, told authorities that Ulutaş demanded TL 9 million in exchange for settling the municipality’s outstanding debts to Yılmaz. The businessman said he paid the money in two separate installments at Ulutaş’ municipal office.

Ulutaş and nine other suspects were remanded in custody last week, while the remaining suspects were released under judicial control. The investigation concerns allegations of corruption and bribery at the municipality, which is currently run by a district governor appointed as a trustee following the 2024 arrest of former Mayor Ahmet Özer on charges of links to a terrorist group.

According to the Sabah report, the investigation uncovered a scheme involving kickbacks from public tenders, millions of dollars handed over in cash and secret financial transactions among suspects. Investigators examined witness and suspect statements and uncovered how certain companies were favored in municipal tenders and how municipal officials allegedly demanded 20% of the amount owed to companies in exchange for releasing payments for work they had completed.

Another suspect, Orhan Yıldırım, admitted to paying Ulutaş around $400,000 in exchange for the release of outstanding payments, the report said. An investigation by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) found that 20% of payments made to companies for work carried out for the municipality were transferred to municipal suspects on the same day the payments were made.

Authorities identified another suspect, Anıl Alioğlu, as an alleged intermediary who delivered bribes from companies to municipal officials. The investigation also found that bribes were not always paid in cash and were sometimes delivered in the form of gift cards redeemable at supermarkets and laptop computers.

An examination of Ulutaş’ bank accounts showed that the transaction volume surged to TL 231 million in 2025 from just TL 601,000 in 2017. Investigators also found a transaction volume of TL 212 million in the accounts of Ulutaş’ sister, who works for Turkish Airlines (THY).

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The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will wrap up a multiweek exercise in the capital, Ankara, on Oct. 22, with a distinguished visitors’ day scheduled for this week. The exercise is in the spotlight as an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of locally produced weapons.

Held in Ankara’s Polatlı district, which has long been home to an artillery school, the exercise involves units from all branches of the military, including the Air Force and the Naval Forces.

In the region where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk led an outnumbered army against invading Greek forces 105 years ago, the TSK has had the opportunity to test new weapons and hone its shooting skills. Weapons and defense systems tested during the exercise include the Boran howitzer, the Karaok anti-tank weapon system, electronic warfare equipment, and armed and unarmed drones. A total of 95 weapons and weapons systems are being used in the exercise, while 104 different types of weapons and defense systems are on display in an exhibition area. The Turkish Stars, the military’s aerobatic team, will also perform on Oct. 15 as part of the exercise.

During the exercise, targets at various ranges were hit using sniper rifles of different calibers and specifications. The firing drills employed the domestically developed KNT 76 and Bora 12 rifles chambered in 7.62 mm, the KN12 in 8.59 mm and the KALE-KSR 50 in 12.7 mm.

The 105 mm Boran lightweight towed howitzer, designed for airborne transport and used in counterterrorism operations and challenging terrain, was another highlight of the exercise. It began entering service in 2022 and is equipped with modern artillery systems that enable it to determine its own position and orientation. Capable of firing in 360 degrees, deploying in as little as one minute and firing six to eight rounds per minute, Boran can also conduct direct-fire missions at night and provide close protection thanks to its direct-fire sighting system.

The exercise featured a wounded personnel evacuation and firing drill demonstrating cooperation between an unmanned ground vehicle and a tank. According to the scenario, after the tank reached the wounded person and deployed a smoke screen, the unmanned, modular Palem ground vehicle transported the casualty to a safe area.

Targets were also hit using Panter howitzers during the exercise. Developed using domestic resources and capabilities, the Panter howitzer was integrated into 88 tactical wheeled vehicles in 2025, contributing to the TSK’s firepower and mobility.

The 155 mm Panter howitzer can engage targets at distances of up to 40 kilometers (24.85 miles) with a five-person crew. Its ability to change positions in as little as two minutes enhances its mobility and survivability on the battlefield.

The Karaok anti-tank weapon system was also showcased during the exercise. Developed entirely by Türkiye’s Roketsan using domestic resources and capabilities, Karaok is a third-generation, short-range guided anti-tank weapon featuring a fire-and-forget capability.

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Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi vowed a strict crackdown on organized crime and warned criminals that they should not think they could “get away” by fleeing abroad. Çiftçi told local broadcaster KonTV on Saturday that he would soon visit Germany and Italy to reinforce Türkiye’s efforts to bring back criminals from those countries.

Since taking office in February, Çiftçi has visited neighboring countries. On Thursday, he was in Greece and had previously held talks with officials in Georgia and Bulgaria to strengthen cooperation in fighting transnational crime. Türkiye’s neighbors are often the first destinations for criminals fleeing the country. Some hide in those countries, while others travel farther west illegally.

Çiftçi is at the forefront of Türkiye’s efforts to crack down on “next-generation gangs,” which have proliferated in recent years. Unlike the Turkish mafia of the past, these gangs rely more heavily on minors and teenagers to commit crimes ranging from extortion to murder. They are also active on social media, where they glorify their crimes and seek to recruit more young people.

“As of the end of September, we had carried out 1,741 operations targeting 625 criminal organizations as part of our crackdown on next-generation criminal organizations. The number of operations reached 1,741 because we conducted multiple operations against some of these groups. As a result, we secured the arrest and imprisonment of 8,170 people.

“Next-generation criminal organizations do not operate only in Türkiye. They immediately flee abroad when they find themselves in trouble. In recent months, I visited Bulgaria in connection with this issue. I later traveled to Georgia and met with the Georgian interior minister. I was in Greece on Thursday, where I held separate meetings with Greece’s minister for citizen protection and minister for migration and asylum.

“Our discussions focused entirely on security diplomacy, next-generation criminal organizations and the places abroad where their members flee and hide. They should not think they can escape us by fleeing abroad. No matter which country in the world they flee to, where they hide or what hole they crawl into, the mighty hand of our state will find them wherever they have fled, bring them back to Türkiye and hand them over to justice. They will answer for their actions before the Turkish judiciary,” Çiftçi said.

“In the first nine months of this year, we secured the extradition of 736 people from abroad. These were individuals who had committed crimes in Türkiye, fled abroad and thought they could escape us there. Through our upcoming visits and security diplomacy efforts, we will further increase this number. We will track down every single one of them and bring them back to Türkiye,” he said.

Noting that next-generation criminal organizations commit a wide range of crimes, including drug trafficking, smuggling, offenses involving irregular migrants, fraud and public-order offenses, Çiftçi said: “One of their sources of funding is drug trafficking, which they use to sustain their operations. Their main source of income is the illicit proceeds they obtain from drug trafficking. When we took office, we identified the fight against drugs as our second major area of focus. Drugs are not just a problem for Türkiye today; they are a problem for the entire world because they directly affect our future. These groups generate income from this trade while continuing to poison our youth. We are continuing to fight them as vigorously as possible to cut off their sources of funding.”

Çiftçi noted that 35,819 people had been arrested in 42,377 operations conducted as part of the fight against drugs this year. He said there were 432,000 people in prisons across Türkiye, adding that 36% of them were either convicted of or detained on drug-related charges.

Çiftçi also reported that the operations had resulted in the seizure of 39 tons of narcotics and approximately 104 million synthetic drug pills. Authorities also seized 20.8 million cannabis plants.

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After a two-week hiatus, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will convene the Cabinet on Monday.

The investigation into investment funds ordered to be liquidated and planned interim payments to investors will be the main items on the meeting’s agenda. The latest developments in the terror-free Türkiye initiative, ongoing contacts between the United States and Iran to resolve their conflict, the situation in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war and economic developments will also be discussed.

A nine-article bill regulating interim payments to investors with holdings in investment funds ordered to be liquidated, as well as the liquidation process itself, has been submitted to the Turkish Parliament. Under the proposal, investors would receive interim payments of up to TL 1 million per person, subject to specified conditions. The payments are planned to be covered by the funds’ assets.

At the Cabinet meeting, officials are expected to discuss preparations for payments to investors and ongoing work on liquidating the funds, alongside the bill’s legislative progress. The decisions made at the fourth meeting of the Fund Coordination Board and the impact of interagency coordination on the process will also be reviewed.

Another key item on the Cabinet’s agenda will be the terror-free Türkiye process. Subcommissions established under the National Solidarity and Integration Coordination Board are being organized, with their duties and areas of authority being defined, while work on interagency coordination continues.

Attention is focused on the work of the monitoring commission in Parliament, while authorities are also tracking progress in the terrorist group PKK’s timeline for laying down its arms. Based on information provided by security agencies, the Cabinet is expected to assess the current state of the process, developments on the ground and the next steps.

On foreign policy, ongoing contacts between the United States and Iran and security developments in the region will take center stage. Ankara is closely monitoring the course of talks between the two countries, efforts to end the fighting and the implications for regional stability.

Recent developments in Gaza and Israel’s attacks, as well as the Russia-Ukraine war, will also feature on the Cabinet’s foreign policy agenda. Officials are expected to assess Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to resolve regional crises and the potential implications of international developments for the country.

The latest economic developments, efforts to combat inflation and policies aimed at ensuring price stability will also be on the meeting’s agenda.

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