Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, President Erdoğan delivered significant messages to the Islamic world during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Istanbul. On the domestic front, despite the arrival of the summer season, MHP leader Bahçeli continues to emphasise the vision of a terror-free Türkiye. Another topic we covered this week is the decline in fertility rates, a trend Türkiye is experiencing alongside many other countries around the world. On this issue, we conducted an interview with Rumeysa Hafızoğlu, a researcher from Enstitü Sosyal.
Here are some highlights from this week’s Türkiye in Focus:
“The Islamic world must become a unified pole of power”: President Erdoğan Calls for Unified Power at OIC Summit
“In his speech, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for greater unity and global agency among Muslim countries, stating: “The Islamic world, now nearly 2 billion strong, must become a unified pole of power. We are on the brink of a new era—one in which the Muslim world must take on a far greater role.” His remarks echoed Türkiye’s broader diplomatic positioning in recent years, which emphasises regional cooperation and the necessity of a more equitable global order.”
Bahçeli Returns to Parliament, Highlighting Regional Threats and the Importance of a Terror-Free Türkiye
“For Bahçeli, advancing the Terror-Free Türkiye agenda is not only about countering domestic threats, but also about insulating the country from an increasingly volatile neighbourhood shaped by external military interventions and geopolitical manoeuvring.”
Understanding Türkiye’s Fertility Decline: A Conversation with Researcher Rumeysa Hafızoğlu
“The findings reveal that the decline in birth rates cannot be explained solely by mothers’ choices. It is a broad issue that also includes the perspectives of fathers, single youth, and grandparents. Across all generations and regions studied, significant economic, cultural, and social transformations are evident. Perceptions of marriage, parenthood, and childbearing have shifted from older to younger generations.”
