Türkiye in Focus: 3-7 November 2025
In this week’s Türkiye in Focus:
- The terror-free Türkiye process appears to be entering a new stage.
- A key suspect in an espionage investigation claimed to have shared information with Ekrem İmamoğlu’s team, leading prosecutors to include the jailed mayor and his adviser in the same case.
- The TRT World Forum took place in Istanbul.
Terror-Free Türkiye Process on the Verge of a New Phase
The terror-free Türkiye process appears to be entering a new phase. Following the recent declaration by the terrorist group PKK that it has initiated self-dissolution, the organisation withdrew its elements from Türkiye last week, marking a potential turning point in the nation’s decades-long conflict. This announcement, while met with cautious optimism, has reignited hopes for a sustainable peace process grounded in national unity.
In the wake of this development, President Erdoğan met with the DEM Party’s İmralı delegation. Erdoğan described the meeting as “positive” and hinted at new steps ahead. Meanwhile, the parliamentary commission established to oversee the process continues to hear from both civil society representatives and state officials. Notably, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli has suggested that the commission should include direct input from Abdullah Öcalan at his İmralı Island detention site. This potential meeting would likely mark the end of the commission’s work and initiate a new phase aimed at establishing a legal framework to ensure the process reaches a sustainable conclusion.
As Türkiye stands on the threshold of a potential transformation, the coming weeks are likely to bring accelerated developments. However, one key challenge remains: ensuring that the security threat posed by the YPG/SDF elements in northeastern Syria is resolved through their integration into the Syrian central authority. Only through such regional stability measures can Türkiye’s internal normalisation and the vision of a terror-free future be fully consolidated. The road ahead promises both opportunity and uncertainty, as well as a rare chance to turn the page on one of the country’s most enduring conflicts.
Espionage Investigation into Ekrem İmamoğlu and Senior Adviser
An ongoing espionage investigation has widened to include Istanbul’s jailed mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and his senior adviser, Necati Özkan. The case centres on Hüseyin Gün, who had already been detained on espionage charges. Gün reportedly confessed to a series of offences, including the unlawful acquisition of voter data allegedly used in favour of İmamoğlu’s political team. Based on these confessions, prosecutors expanded the indictment to encompass İmamoğlu and Özkan, marking an escalation in a case that has gripped national attention.
Investigators claim that Gün maintained contacts with several foreign intelligence operatives and allegedly conducted espionage activities under the guise of a businessman. The indictment characterises his network as seeking to gather sensitive personal and political information, with particular attention to data from the 2019 Istanbul mayoral election, allegedly used to influence the results in favour of İmamoğlu. Prosecutors argue that the coordination between Gün and members of İmamoğlu’s circle may have facilitated the unauthorised use of electoral data.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has denied all allegations, stating that neither İmamoğlu nor the party had any connection to Gün’s activities. How the investigation will evolve in the coming period remains a subject of close attention and anticipation.
TRT World Forum Brought Together Diverse Voices from Around the Globe in Istanbul
The TRT World Forum, held in Istanbul on 31 October–1 November, once again convened global policymakers, scholars, and opinion leaders to discuss the world’s most pressing challenges. Organised annually by public broadcaster TRT since 2017, this year’s forum, as in previous editions, opened with an inaugural address by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Themed “The Global Reset: From the Old Order to New Realities,” the forum gathered 132 speakers from 35 countries and drew thousands of attendees. Discussions ranged from the erosion of international law and the crisis of global governance to emerging geopolitical rivalries and the future of the global economy. The forum’s agenda reflected the shared recognition that the world is undergoing a profound structural transformation, in which established norms are being questioned and new centres of influence are taking shape.
The forum has become a key platform for in-depth dialogue on political, economic, technological, and social transformations, bolstering intergovernmental diplomacy while spotlighting the host country’s political outlook and global stance. Through a mix of open and closed sessions, it offers a meeting ground for voices from different continents and ideological backgrounds to exchange views on the evolving global landscape.
Highlights
- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the massacres in Sudan’s El-Fasher, emphasising that the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty must be safeguarded.
- Türkiye has finalised an agreement to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the United Kingdom, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2030. The deal was signed during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Türkiye on October 27.
- A new mass housing initiative has been announced to help citizens without homes purchase affordable housing. The project aims to build 500,000 units across several cities as part of Türkiye’s ongoing efforts to address the housing crisis.
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