Promises to reform Turkey’s judiciary and economy, as well as pledges to address democratic shortfalls, have come as Ankara looks to recalibrate its relationship with a new resident in the White House when Joe Biden, the president-elect takes office in January.
Since the resignation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s finance minister and son-in-law earlier this month, senior government figures have signalled a switch in the approach to the economy and other areas where Turkey has come under sustained international criticism.
“We are launching a brand new mobilisation in the economy, judiciary and democracy,” the president told a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) at the weekend, adding: “The message to the world is extremely important.”
Many see these so-far unspecified reforms in light of Joe Biden’s victory in the US presidential race.
While Mr Erdogan has mostly had a good relationship with President Donald Trump, Mr Biden is regarded in Ankara as a potentially much trickier counterpart.
Although Mr Trump hit Turkey with sanctions two years ago over the jailing of an American pastor, he has generally behaved as a friend to Mr Erdogan.
Mr Trump has resisted calls from the US Congress for sanctions to be imposed over Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles last year and has reportedly tried to intervene in the prosecution of Turkey’s state-run Halkbank over alleged breaches of sanctions on Iran.
“I get along with him and he listens,” Mr Trump said in September of his relationship with the Turkish leader.
Mr Biden, however, has criticised Turkey’s slide away from the rule of law and democratic practices. In an interview last December, which was revived in Turkey’s pro-government media over the summer, he called Mr Erdogan an “autocrat” and pledged support to Turkey’s opposition.
Edward Stafford, a former US diplomat who served in Ankara, said human rights would be a “more prominent” feature of Mr Biden’s foreign policy.
“In the near future, we can expect members of Biden’s administration to speak out in defence of a free press, of peaceful assembly, association and for equal rights for racial, ethnic and social minorities,” he said.
A sign of Turkey exploring ways to connect with Mr Biden’s team came in reports this week that Turkish representatives had met lobbyists promising access to the new administration.
According to Yasar Yakis, a founding member of the AKP and a former foreign minister, the era of Mr Erdogan’s easy access to the White House is “coming to a close.”
Turkey’s former finance minister, Berat Albayrak, had played a prominent role in Ankara’s back-channel diplomacy in Washington through his friendship with Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s adviser and another presidential son-in-law.
However, common interests between the two countries would mean seeking a compromise.
“Whether Washington likes it or not, Ankara is an important player in the Middle East,” Mr Yakis said. “Thus, despite the incoming Biden administration’s misgivings about Erdogan, the two countries will probably find common ground to protect their reciprocal interests.”
In addition to an economic approach seemingly designed to entice foreign investors and placate international markets, the promised reforms also hint at tackling concerns about the rule of law.
Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul last week suggested a review of pre-trial detention, a practice that has seen thousands of government opponents jailed.
Meanwhile, a handful of government-supporting newspaper columnists this week called for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala and writer Ahmet Altan, two of Turkey’s most prominent prisoners held on charges widely regarded as politically motivated.
As well as having an eye to developments in the US, Mr Erdogan’s reforms are also viewed as a way of soothing his own supporters’ concerns, particularly over the economy.
The new team heading the economy – Mr Albayrak’s November 8 resignation as finance minister followed the sacking of the central bank governor a day earlier – have said they will focus on tackling an inflation rate of nearly 12 per cent.
This was evidenced on Thursday when the bank announced a hike in interest rates to 15 per cent, a swivel away from the unorthodox economic mantra espoused by Mr Erdogan, and implemented by Mr Albayrak, that high interest rates lead to inflation.
Personnel changes at the top of the economic pyramid came amid reports that AKP members and even MPs disillusioned with the management of the economy were considering defecting to parties recently established by former AKP ministers.
The appointment of Lutfi Elvan, an ex-minister who has not held office for more than two years, to the finance ministry was a sign that “the AKP is aware of the discomfort, because of Albayrak, within the party and the possibility some of the deputies might shift,” according to journalist Murat Yetkin.
However, attempts to burnish the government’s image, both in Washington and at home, have created fresh doubts.
Mehmet Ihsan Arslan, a close adviser to Mr Erdogan who is well connected in Washington, told BBC Turkish that reforms suggested “a problem with our policies to date. It’s a confession.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on Quran memorisation:
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
