Ankara's diplomatic and financial inflows run alongside the CHP's continuing collapse
Burcu Köksal, the CHP mayor of Afyonkarahisar, is set to become the 15th CHP mayor to defect to the AKP since the 2024 local elections; AKP's Ömer Çelik teased the announcement and former CHP secretary-general Sevigen warned more will follow unless the party purges its corrupt mayors. The IFC said its Türkiye portfolio has crossed $25bn — its third-largest country exposure. UN Under-Secretary-General Lacroix asked for an expanded Turkish peacekeeping role; airspace fees hit a record TL 33.05bn ($727.7m, +53% YoY); Queen Mathilde landed with a 428-business mission, the first in 14 years.
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CHP set to lose 15th mayor to AKP as Afyonkarahisar's Burcu Köksal signals defection
Burcu Köksal, the Republican People's Party (CHP) mayor of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey, is expected to become the 15th CHP mayor to defect to the ruling AKP since the 2024 local elections, with party officials saying she has refused calls and meeting requests. AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik told reporters on Saturday that journalists "may see who will join the party at the next parliamentary group meeting." The CHP is simultaneously fighting corruption trials of its mayors in Uşak, Antalya and Bolu, factional disputes from the 2023 chair race that brought Özgür Özel to the top, and the Silivri imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — a combination former secretary-general Mehmet Sevigen says will trigger more resignations unless the party purges its corrupt mayors.
Türkiye ranks third in IFC global portfolio with over $25 billion invested
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested more than $25 billion in Türkiye over the past decade, making the country the third-largest in the institution's global portfolio, IFC Director Lisa Kaestner said on May 10. Kaestner outlined priorities including job creation, productivity gains, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises amid tighter liquidity and rising volatility. The IFC, a World Bank Group arm, also highlighted investments in digital bonds and earthquake-zone recovery.
UN peacekeeping chief seeks expanded Turkish role in missions
U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the United Nations is eager to increase Türkiye's participation in peacekeeping missions, praising Turkish personnel as "remarkable." Lacroix spoke to Anadolu Agency during a visit to Türkiye that included meetings in Ankara and a tour of the Turkish Police Academy. He also reported that six peacekeepers had been killed in recent weeks in Lebanon and that investigations are ongoing.
Türkiye posts record TL 33 billion revenue from airspace usage fees in 2025
Türkiye generated a record TL 33.05 billion (approximately $727.7 million) in revenue from airspace usage fees in 2025, a 53% increase from TL 21.59 billion in 2024, according to data from the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI). The country ranked sixth among 42 Eurocontrol member states in the national cost base size index and second in airspace demand. The growth rate in service units in Türkiye reached 9.3%, outpacing the Eurocontrol average of 5.5%.
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Every other event tracked in Turkey, with a one-line preview.
tr30Queen Mathilde of Belgium leads economic mission to Turkey to boost trade and investment
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is leading a high-level economic delegation to Turkey from May 10-14, 2026, including ministers and 428 private sector representatives. The mission aims to strengthen bilateral trade ($9.2 billion in 2025) and explore cooperation in energy, defense, aviation, logistics, and technology. It is the first such visit in 14 years and includes the Türkiye-Belgium Economic Forum and potential intergovernmental agreements.
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Queen Mathilde of Belgium leads economic mission to Turkey to boost trade and investment
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is leading a high-level economic delegation to Turkey from May 10-14, 2026, including ministers and 428 private sector representatives. The mission aims to strengthen bilateral trade ($9.2 billion in 2025) and explore cooperation in energy, defense, aviation, logistics, and technology. It is the first such visit in 14 years and includes the Türkiye-Belgium Economic Forum and potential intergovernmental agreements.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is leading a high-level economic delegation to Turkey from May 10-14, 2026, including ministers and 428 private sector representatives. The mission aims to strengthen bilateral trade ($9.2 billion in 2025) and explore cooperation in energy, defense, aviation, logistics, and technology. It is the first such visit in 14 years and includes the Türkiye-Belgium Economic Forum and potential intergovernmental agreements.
tr28Algerian President Tebboune's third state visit to Türkiye strengthens strategic partnership
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made his third state visit to Türkiye, building on the May 6-8, 2026 visit that established the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and signed 13 agreements. The latest visit further deepened bilateral ties, with trade reaching a record $5.3 billion and a target of $10 billion by 2030. Approximately 1,400 Turkish companies operate in Algeria, making Türkiye the largest non-hydrocarbon investor. Notable projects include Tosyalı Algerie's steel complex in Oran and development of the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine. Energy cooperation expanded, with plans to increase Algerian LNG purchases from 4.4 to 6-6.5 billion cubic meters annually, with potential extension for 5-10 years, and possible transport of Algerian LNG to Southeast Europe and the Balkans via Türkiye. The two countries aligned on regional geopolitics, including the African Sahel, Sudan crisis, tensions with Iran, and the Gaza war, with Algeria potentially integrating into an emerging Ankara-Riyadh axis alongside Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, counterbalancing French influence in Africa.
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Algerian President Tebboune's third state visit to Türkiye strengthens strategic partnership
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made his third state visit to Türkiye, building on the May 6-8, 2026 visit that established the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and signed 13 agreements. The latest visit further deepened bilateral ties, with trade reaching a record $5.3 billion and a target of $10 billion by 2030. Approximately 1,400 Turkish companies operate in Algeria, making Türkiye the largest non-hydrocarbon investor. Notable projects include Tosyalı Algerie's steel complex in Oran and development of the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine. Energy cooperation expanded, with plans to increase Algerian LNG purchases from 4.4 to 6-6.5 billion cubic meters annually, with potential extension for 5-10 years, and possible transport of Algerian LNG to Southeast Europe and the Balkans via Türkiye. The two countries aligned on regional geopolitics, including the African Sahel, Sudan crisis, tensions with Iran, and the Gaza war, with Algeria potentially integrating into an emerging Ankara-Riyadh axis alongside Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, counterbalancing French influence in Africa.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made his third state visit to Türkiye, building on the May 6-8, 2026 visit that established the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and signed 13 agreements. The latest visit further deepened bilateral ties, with trade reaching a record $5.3 billion and a target of $10 billion by 2030. Approximately 1,400 Turkish companies operate in Algeria, making Türkiye the largest non-hydrocarbon investor. Notable projects include Tosyalı Algerie's steel complex in Oran and development of the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine. Energy cooperation expanded, with plans to increase Algerian LNG purchases from 4.4 to 6-6.5 billion cubic meters annually, with potential extension for 5-10 years, and possible transport of Algerian LNG to Southeast Europe and the Balkans via Türkiye. The two countries aligned on regional geopolitics, including the African Sahel, Sudan crisis, tensions with Iran, and the Gaza war, with Algeria potentially integrating into an emerging Ankara-Riyadh axis alongside Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, counterbalancing French influence in Africa.
tr15World Decolonization Forum opens in Istanbul with exhibition on colonial legacy
The World Decolonization Forum, organized by Enstitü Sosyal, opened in Istanbul on May 10, 2026, with an exhibition titled 'The Burden of Humanity: Decolonization Today' at the Atatürk Cultural Center. The forum, running May 11-12 under the theme 'Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation,' features academic panels, film screenings, and discussions with scholars from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Speakers critiqued modern colonialism, including 'techno-colonialism' via digital infrastructure and algorithms, and emphasized the psychological and cultural dimensions of colonial legacies. The exhibition remains open through May 17, and 'Decolonize Film Days' will take place May 13-14.
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World Decolonization Forum opens in Istanbul with exhibition on colonial legacy
The World Decolonization Forum, organized by Enstitü Sosyal, opened in Istanbul on May 10, 2026, with an exhibition titled 'The Burden of Humanity: Decolonization Today' at the Atatürk Cultural Center. The forum, running May 11-12 under the theme 'Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation,' features academic panels, film screenings, and discussions with scholars from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Speakers critiqued modern colonialism, including 'techno-colonialism' via digital infrastructure and algorithms, and emphasized the psychological and cultural dimensions of colonial legacies. The exhibition remains open through May 17, and 'Decolonize Film Days' will take place May 13-14.
The World Decolonization Forum, organized by Enstitü Sosyal, opened in Istanbul on May 10, 2026, with an exhibition titled 'The Burden of Humanity: Decolonization Today' at the Atatürk Cultural Center. The forum, running May 11-12 under the theme 'Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation,' features academic panels, film screenings, and discussions with scholars from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Speakers critiqued modern colonialism, including 'techno-colonialism' via digital infrastructure and algorithms, and emphasized the psychological and cultural dimensions of colonial legacies. The exhibition remains open through May 17, and 'Decolonize Film Days' will take place May 13-14.