Politics
Türkiye unites sides in Libya with diplomatic blitz
Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts and security strategy provided an “environment of non-conflict” in Libya, and this led to renewed negotiations between actors in the country’s east and west after a five-year hiatus, experts say.
They highlighted that the balance of security achieved by Türkiye in the North African country pushed the sides to finally understand that a prolonged conflict would not bring about a concrete outcome.
Hanna Tetteh, the U.N. secretary-general’s special envoy for Libya, earlier lauded Türkiye’s stand on Libya that supported stability. Tetteh underlined in remarks on April 19 that without Türkiye’s support, western Libya in particular would not reach the stability it has.
The sides controlling Libya’s west and east met on April 29 under the supervision of the mission led by Tetteh and agreed on restructuring Libya National Election Commission. This paved the way for new talks on electoral laws, the main cause of political conflict in the country. Concerns, however, linger that a new deadlock may emerge in the country.
Professor Veysel Kurt of Istanbul Medeniyet University, who serves as research director at Middle Eastern Studies Center (ORSAM), told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday after a workshop on Libyan-Turkish relations in Tripoli that the Turkish-Libyan security deal signed in 2020 ensured stability in the country. Kurt stated that interventions by various international actors in Libya have had a negative impact on prolonging the political deadlock.
“At the point we have reached today, Türkiye has made significant diplomatic moves to establish relations with both the Tripoli government and the actors in Benghazi and to ensure reconciliation between them. Ultimately, it is important that these two actors meet face-to-face in Italy for the first time in a long while.”
Kurt assessed that reaching an agreement on the structuring of the National Election Commission at the meeting of Libyan parties is an important sign that the process is moving forward. Stating that to end the division in Libya, either one side must disappear or reconciliation must be achieved between the parties, Kurt said: “One of two scenarios is necessary to eliminate the division. Either one side will completely defeat the other and take full control, or a compromise will be reached. The first scenario did not happen. During the prolonged conflicts and civil war, neither Haftar’s side nor the Tripoli government was able to fully control the country. Therefore, what remains is the second scenario: ‘reconciliation.’”
“If the two sides cannot eliminate each other, then only one option remains: reconciling them. And despite all the difficulties, Türkiye achieved this. It was a very important matter for Libya to continue its political life as an institutionally and territorially unified country.”
Kurt noted that it is an optimistic development that Libyan parties have come together at the same table to address election laws. “Of course, after reconciliation is achieved, the rest of the matter will be decided by the Libyan people. In other words, what result will emerge from the elections, and which structure will take governing authority? This will be a decision made by the Libyan people.”
Associate professor Yunus Turan from Hacı Bayram Veli University also stated that, as in every period of history, Türkiye has always stood actively by Libya’s side after 2011.
Turan said that Türkiye has made serious efforts in terms of political and security paradigms for Libya’s national unity, territorial integrity and unification under a single umbrella.
“Türkiye has essentially proceeded with the motto of one Libya, one nation, one country. Up to now, Türkiye’s policies have demonstrated a consistent Libya policy in this regard. The picture that emerged from the meeting of Libyan parties in Rome showed how consistent and meaningful Türkiye’s Libya policy has been from the very beginning.”
“The point we have reached in 2026 has proven how much the Libyan people desire and approve of Türkiye’s policy. The international media did not accept this in this way and resisted it for many years, putting forward policies toward the fragmentation of Libya. But in the end, it became clear that the policy Türkiye has pursued from the beginning is the most consistent and the one most desired by the Libyan people,” he said. Turan added that recent developments show Türkiye is a unifying actor in the region and that its foreign policy resonates with the people of the region.
Burak Yetimoğlu, a lecturer at Hacettepe University’s Department of International Relations, stated that Türkiye played a very significant role behind the scenes of the UN-sponsored “4+4” meeting where Libyan parties came together.
Emphasizing the importance of military units from eastern and western Libya coming together at the EFES-2026 Exercise in Türkiye’s Izmir, Yetimoğlu said that Türkiye has made major contributions to bringing Libyan parties together around the same table in the 4+4 meeting.
Stating that Türkiye has taken important steps in building a bridge between eastern and western Libya and in shaping the country into a more stable and stronger structure under a single political framework, Yetimoğlu said: “Meetings like the 4+4 are very valuable. We see that Libyan parties are working on election timelines at the table in the 4+4 meeting. When we look at the past, we must certainly not forget the role Türkiye has played here.”
Secrecy and silence have fueled rumors about the future of Özgür Özel after he announced that he would establish a new, as-yet-unnamed party. The man who delivered the first tangible success in decades for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2024 local elections remains confident of winning the next vote. However, hours after his historic declaration, few people publicly endorsed his new bid.
Among those mentioned was Mansur Yavaş, the Ankara mayor, who is widely viewed as a popular figure and a potential future presidential contender. While the mayors of Adana and Mersin, whom Özel mentioned in his speech on Tuesday while calling on them to join him, signaled their intention to remain in the CHP, Yavaş maintained his silence on Wednesday. Cemil Tugay, the mayor of the CHP stronghold of Izmir in western Türkiye, also reportedly chose to remain in the party.
Earlier on Wednesday, Özel held talks at a hotel in Ankara with the party assembly and central executive board of his new party, as well as lawmakers who have remained loyal to him since he was ousted from the CHP chairmanship in May. His predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was reinstated by a court ruling, also convened the CHP’s Central Executive Board on Wednesday.
Özel initially decided to remain in the CHP and challenged Kılıçdaroğlu to hold a new intra-party vote, confident that he would defeat him again. However, as the process dragged on and public pressure mounted, Özel changed his mind and began working to establish a new party.
The party, rumored to be named “Istiklal” (“Independence”), is expected to be ready in time for the 2028 presidential election. However, it will not be eligible to receive Treasury funding allocated to most political parties under Turkish law, which stipulates that a newly established party must secure at least 3% of the vote in the first election it contests. This means Özel and his associates will have to rely on private donations, which could prove challenging.
Key figures close to Özel have also been accused of buying votes in the 2023 intra-party election that ended Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership. Özel’s name has also surfaced in an investigation involving CHP mayors who allegedly confessed to handing over large sums of cash, either personally or through intermediaries, to Özel and his aides to secure their candidacies. Moreover, CHP municipalities have already suffered reputational damage, as multiple mayors and municipal bureaucrats stand accused of running criminal networks involved in bribery and tender rigging.
Media outlets reported that Özel’s new party could secure up to 90 seats in Parliament through defections from the CHP. If that happens, it would become the second-largest party in Parliament.
In his speech on Tuesday – his last as the CHP parliamentary group chair following his removal from the position in May – Özel said the split within the CHP stemmed from disagreements over the party’s future amid its declining public support. He said some within the party argued for maintaining the current course and focusing on the next local elections, while others warned that the CHP risked losing voters unless it embraced change.
Describing the current state of the main opposition, Özel said: “People will not go into another local election with us if we continue like this. If we act this way, they will turn their backs on us. Voter turnout will fall to a historic low. Don’t you see the polls? The party has dropped to around 13% or 14% and continues to decline.”
He added: “A major defeat is coming. After another local election disaster, people will lose hope in the ballot box altogether. We have to act.”
One crew member was killed and three others injured on Wednesday in a drone attack on a Turkish-flagged vessel in the Black Sea. It is the latest security incident in the vast body of water, where the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to threaten maritime safety.
Turkish media outlets reported that the MV Reyhan Sarı was carrying coal from Russia’s Port of Taman in the Sea of Azov to the northern Turkish province of Trabzon when it came under attack in international waters off Türkiye’s Samsun coast. The vessel resumed its voyage after the attack, while the injured crew members were taken ashore for treatment. Turkish authorities did not issue an official statement on the incident, which is suspected to have been carried out by a Ukrainian drone.
More than three years of the Russia-Ukraine war have jeopardized maritime security in the Black Sea. Türkiye has witnessed several drones of Russian or Ukrainian origin crash on its territory, while uncrewed armed naval vessels have frequently washed ashore. In response to growing threats, Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria established a maritime security initiative primarily tasked with clearing stray naval mines in the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s navy said on Sunday that Russian missile strikes on a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying grain had killed five people on board, while another five crew members were reported missing.
According to the Ukrainian navy, Russia fired three cruise missiles at the Golden Leo, which sails under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, as it was “leaving the combat zone with a cargo of grain.”
“This is yet another deliberate strike by Russia against an unarmed civilian vessel flying a foreign flag that posed no military threat whatsoever,” the navy said in a statement.
“The attack constitutes an act of terrorism against peaceful navigation and a gross violation of international humanitarian law,” it added.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan raised the issue during a visit to Kyiv last week.
“The safety of navigation and commercial security in the Black Sea are of vital importance. I discussed this both with the Russian side during my visit to Moscow and with my esteemed counterpart here. It is an important matter for us and for all Black Sea countries,” Fidan said at a joint news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Fidan also recalled that the United Nations had proposed maintaining commitments to energy security and the safety of navigation in the Black Sea even as the war continues.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek on Wednesday hosted his Saudi counterpart, Walid bin Muhammad Al Samaani, in Ankara. During the meeting, the two ministers exchanged views on strengthening judicial cooperation between their countries.
Gürlek highlighted the close ties between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, citing cooperation across various fields, from the economy to defense. He said the two countries attach particular importance to cooperation in the fields of law and justice.
“We are members of a shared civilization that embraces the principle that ‘Justice is the religion of the state,'” Gürlek said.
He stressed that they aim to reflect the strong vision set out by the leaders of the two countries in the field of law and justice and to develop practical and effective cooperation that will benefit both peoples.
Gürlek said that the Century of Türkiye Vision and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 both underscore the importance of strong, efficient and accessible justice systems. He added that increasing mutual delegation visits and strengthening direct contacts between legal experts would make a significant contribution to bilateral relations.
The justice minister also noted that Türkiye has implemented numerous reforms in recent years to make judicial services faster and more accessible. He said the digitalization of the judiciary, the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and improving citizens’ access to justice remain among the country’s priorities.
Gürlek said the National Judiciary Informatics System (UYAP) enables judicial processes in Türkiye to be conducted digitally and added that the country is ready to share its expertise in digital justice.
“We are prepared to share with the Saudi Ministry of Justice our experience in the digitalization of the judiciary, artificial intelligence-supported applications, cybersecurity, judicial cooperation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms,” he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Joshua Harris, a 12-year-old autistic boy recognized for his “Cake Not Hate” anti-Islamophobia campaign, praising efforts to promote kindness and inclusion.
Erdoğan met with Harris and his family at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul on Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, Harris visited the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)’s Istanbul provincial headquarters.
Harris, accompanied by his father, Dan Harris, was welcomed by AK Party Istanbul Chair Abdullah Özdemir, who praised the young campaigner’s efforts to foster friendship and mutual respect among people of different faiths through the initiative he launched in the United Kingdom.
During the meeting, the sides discussed Harris’ campaign, which promotes solidarity and counters prejudice by encouraging dialogue and acts of kindness across religious communities.
Özdemir congratulated Joshua and his father for their stand against hate speech and anti-Muslim sentiment, or Islamophobia, saying the message delivered by the young campaigner carries universal significance despite his age.
He also underscored the importance of people from different faiths and cultures living together on the basis of mutual respect, adding that the values of love, solidarity and brotherhood should always prevail over hatred and discrimination.
Joshua and Dan Harris expressed their appreciation for the hospitality they have received in Istanbul and thanked their hosts for the warm welcome and support throughout their visit.
The meeting concluded with a commemorative group photograph.
Joshua has already visited Fatih Mosque on Sunday, Büyük Çamlıca Mosque and Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Üsküdar on Monday, and Taksim Mosque on Tuesday. He is next scheduled to visit Ortaköy Mosque and Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Mosque on July 24 as part of his 10-day program in Istanbul.
The campaign began after a far-right anti-Muslim hate incident at a mosque in Peterborough, England, last year.
In October 2025, far-right extremist Alexander Hooper entered a mosque in Peterborough and attacked members of the congregation and police officers.
Following the incident, Dan Harris and his then-12-year-old autistic son Joshua, who lived near the mosque, baked cakes and distributed them to worshippers as a gesture of solidarity.
After launching the initiative, the father and son received numerous threatening messages. In response, they decided to visit even more mosques and continue their campaign.
Their anti-Islamophobia “Cake Not Hate” campaign has since expanded to several countries, while the pair have visited more than 100 mosques across the U.K. to promote solidarity and stand against anti-Muslim hatred.
Türkiye’s Parliament approved the first seven articles of a legislative package on Thursday that introduces stricter rules for novice drivers, including the cancellation of licenses for repeated traffic violations during a two-year probationary period.
The amendments to the Highway Traffic Law were adopted as part of a broader bill that also includes provisions to increase the minimum pension. The changes were introduced following a ruling by Türkiye’s Constitutional Court requiring revisions to the existing legislation.
Under the new rules, individuals obtaining a driver’s license for the first time, as well as motorists whose licenses have previously been revoked and later reinstated, will be classified as probationary drivers for two years from the date their license is issued.
During this period, a probationary license will be revoked if the driver commits any offense that results in the temporary suspension of a driver’s license, accumulates more than 75 penalty points, or is found driving with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.20 promille, regardless of vehicle type.
The legislation also provides for the cancellation of a probationary license if the driver commits any of three key traffic violations three times during the probation period. These include failing to comply with turning rules, failing to yield to pedestrians at designated crossings and violating mandatory seat belt or other protective equipment requirements for drivers and passengers.
Drivers whose probationary licenses are revoked must complete the licensing process again. They must re-enroll in a certified driving course, pass the required examinations and obtain a new driver certificate before reapplying for a license.
Applicants will also be required to undergo a psychotechnical assessment and psychiatric evaluation demonstrating they are fit to drive, pay all outstanding traffic fines, and complete any mandatory waiting period associated with previous suspensions or revocations.
At the beginning of this year, Parliament approved a comprehensive amendment to the Highway Traffic Law, significantly increasing penalties for dangerous driving, in a move officials say is aimed at cutting road deaths by half.
The law imposes a TL 140,000 (approximately $4,375) fine on drivers who alter license plates to make them unreadable, along with a 30-day vehicle impoundment. Failing to yield to vehicles with the right of way carries a TL 15,000 fine.
Running a red light six times in one year will result in permanent revocation of a driver’s license. Drivers who cause accidents by running red lights will face a 60-day suspension and must undergo a psychotechnical evaluation before regaining their licenses.
German lawmaker Maximilian Krah recently said parliamentary officials had twice blocked planned visits to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), arguing that Turkish Cypriots and their institutions deserved international recognition.
Speaking to Bayrak Radio Television (BRT), Krah noted he and his fellow lawmaker Achim Köhler had submitted two requests to Germany’s parliamentary Human Rights Committee to visit the territory, but both were rejected.
“They stopped us, but we will come anyway,” Krah emphasized, alleging that some political circles in Germany did not want lawmakers to examine conditions on the island firsthand.
Krah described the current status quo in Cyprus as unsustainable and said previous settlement efforts had failed because of the Greek Cypriot side’s position. He argued that Turkish Cypriots had established functioning state institutions and a legal system that merited recognition.
He linked renewed international attention on Cyprus to Türkiye’s growing geopolitical role, the strategic importance of the eastern Mediterranean and continuing human rights debates.
Krah called for a settlement that protects the rights of both communities, including property rights, while promoting peace in the eastern Mediterranean.
He called the decision to block the visits “hypocrisy.”
The lawmaker, who served six years in the European Parliament, currently sits on the Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee and serves as rapporteur on Cyprus and Türkiye.
Özgür Özel, mayors plan future in post-divide Turkish opposition
AK Party MKYK member Hamza Dağ: The party founded by Özgür Özel does not have a new political understanding
Oil shoots to its highest since May after Houthi tanker attacks
Özgür Özel, mayors plan future in post-divide Turkish opposition
AK Party MKYK member Hamza Dağ: The party founded by Özgür Özel does not have a new political understanding
Oil shoots to its highest since May after Houthi tanker attacks
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