Tũrkish Pulse

Loreen from Sweden, winner of 2023 edition / Sarah Louise Bennet _EBU by Martin Aslan Last week on Saturday night, took place the Eurovision song contest. Loreen from Sweden has won for the second time. It was also the 10th year since TRT announced Türkiye would no longer participate. And yet, Turkish public used to love this contest and its flamboyant show. So why did Türkiye left the contest, and will it ever come back? The Eurovision : The European song contest is an annual song competition. It was first held in 1956 in the first years of the European construction after World War II. Originally participants were mere European countries, then new countries joined such as Australia, Israel or Azerbaijan. Türkiye first participated in 1975 and even won once in 2003 with Sertab Erener’s song « Everyway that I can ».  The rules are simple: each participating country submit an original 3-minutes song to be performed live. A jury composed of professionals grades each song, granting a c...

  by Martin Aslan The global decline of Democracy In January, thousands of Israelis protested against their new far-right government, fearing its plans would weaken democratic institutions and checks and balances. This reflects a broader global trend: trust in democracy is declining, yet authoritarian regimes have not proven more effective. The global retreat of democracy Democracy is defined by representative government, fundamental rights, checks on power, impartial administration, and civic participation. However, in recent years, democracy has stagnated, with half of democratic nations backsliding. Repressive regimes are tightening control, and the number of countries shifting toward authoritarianism has more than doubled in six years. Today, half of all nations are experiencing democratic decline. Democratic erosion in Europe While democracy remains dominant in Europe, it has weakened, even in high-performing countries. Poland and Hungary are experiencing significant democrati...

by Martin Aslan The collapse of the Ottoman Empire gave way to a new religious base embodied by the Muslim Brotherhood founded by the Egyptian Hassan el-Banna. This movement, considered a terrorist group by the Arab Republic of Egypt, came to power in 2012 following the Arab Spring. Türkiye lent its support to the movement represented by Mohamed Morsi. The Muslim Brotherhood is an influential movement in Muslim lands whose objective is the restoration of a caliphate. Türkiye's shady dealings with the Muslim Brotherhood muddy the waters and make it difficult to understand Türkiye’s relations with its neighbours and allies. The sources of a new religious era Until then dominated by the Ottoman Empire, the Muslim world underwent a religious rupture at the beginning of the 20th century. The abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk gave way to the creation of a movement to combat ‘Western secularism and the blind imitation of the European model’.  This was Has...

by Martin Aslan The proclamation of the Turkish Republic on 29 October 1923 was the founding act of modern Türkiye, breaking with the Ottoman era. In addition to Mustapha Kemal's desire to westernise his country by establishing a republican and democratic regime, secularism was the fundamental principle of this change in society, which had previously been Islamic. The Turkish principle of secularism is enshrined in the constitution and is unique to Türkiye. This secular conception has enabled Türkiye to ensure its transition without making a complete break with its origins. On the eve of the presidential elections and the centenary of the Turkish Republic, secular principles are being called into question. This situation has been carefully brought about by President Erdoğan since he came to power. The Turkish secular concept Secularism in modern Türkiye is not based on a separation of clergy and state that would establish the autonomy of religion. On the contrary, the foundation of...

  by Martin Aslan Türkiye : a major exporter of TV series According to a survey by Eurodata, Türkiye is the world’s second-best exporter of tv series after the United States and before South Korea. Its series or « Dizi » are aired in at least 150 countries, first in Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, then extensively in Latin America. In Western Europe, Turkish series can lean on many people of Turkish descent to get good ratings. Some Turkish series are also aired on TV in Spain and Italy where Turkish TV series’ actors became big celebrities. The export of Turkish series and movies in 2023 is predicted to exceed $1 billion. The promotion of a certain Turkish way of life Many series present a world of Turkish luxury, where actors are dressed with trendy, colorful and expansive outfits and play in prestigious houses and palaces by the Bosphorus. Each episode is sponsored by apparel manufacturers, mainly Turkish ones and ends with adverts for the brands staged during ...

by Martin Aslan Türkiye is a major military power with a strict conscription system. This system can be regarded as a pillar of Türkiye’s military power, however it raises a number of social issues.  Source : www.globalfirepower.com Turkish armed forces are considered as the second most important force in the NATO for its manpower and are among the strongest forces globally. Globalfirepower ranks its army 13 out of 142 countries. Military service in Türkiye is mandatory for every man above the age of 20. Women enter the Turkish military on a voluntary basis. Türkiye’s manpower derives from the mandatory military service.  A mandatory system: A rising number of Turkish men, mainly in the younger generation hope for a change in order to avoid this burden. The issue was also raised in the past, among AKP policy-makers. In 2018, the minister for defense expected a shift to a professional army and the end of the conscription system by 2023.  Today, Turkish military forces are ...

by Martin Aslan A new attack in Türkiye has triggered a fourth Turkish military intervention in Syria. The consequences of this new Turkish military operation could further deteriorate the social and security situation in the region. Syria is gradually losing control of its sovereignty to third countries such as Russia and Türkiye. On 13 November, another attack hit Istanbul on the busy Istiklal Avenue. This cowardly act left six people dead and 81 injured. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan immediately promised that those responsible for this vile attack would be unmasked and punished. A few hours later, one person was arrested. Although the presumed perpetrator of this attack was of Syrian nationality, the Turkish authorities were quick to accuse the PYD 1 and the PKK. The day after the attack, 46 people were arrested. This event comes at a time when Türkiye is doing everything it can to launch a new military operation in northern Syria against Kurdish groups affiliated with the...