NEWS, COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS
1. After election boost, Turkey’s Erdogan may reward nationalists with cabinet jobs – sources
2. “The house always wins in Vegas” – analysts assess Turkey’s elections
3. Demirtaş: It is a great success that the HDP is in the Parliament
4. U.S. says respects Turkey’s vote results
5. Commentary: Five Questions: ‘Turkey is no longer a democracy’
6. Despite all the pressure, HDP prevailed in Turkey’s elections
7. OSCE should avoid ‘biased’ analysis of Turkey’s election, Foreign Ministry says
8. Turkey elections impacted by restrictions on freedom, says OSCE
9. Voters had genuine choice in Turkish elections, but incumbent president and ruling
10. Turkey, Early Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, 24 June 2018: Statement of
11. (VIDEO) Turkey’s Historic Election: What to Expect Next?
12. Turkey election: there is almost no one left who can speak truth to power
13. The impact of Turkey’s election: Erdogan’s sweeping new powers
14. Turks in Germany praise ‘our leader’ after two-thirds vote for Erdogan
15. Turkey’s Erdogan claims victory in presidential and parliamentary elections
16. Turkey election: Erdoğan strikes combative tone in victory speech
17. Demirtaş: Authoritarian regimes eventually collapse; sometimes it happens quickly, sometime it takes longer
18. HDP’s Diyarbakir candidates breathe eve of poll optimism
19. German, Swedish OSCE election observers denied entry to Turkey

OPINION
1. Erdogan’s victory will have far-reaching implications for Turkey and the Middle East
2. A snap analysis of Turkey’s snap election
3. We urgently need to talk about Turkey. Because that was not a fair and free election.
4. Turkey’s Turning Point
5. Turkey becoming ‘one man state’ warns defeated Erdogan rival Muharrem Ince
6. Opinion: Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins, democracy loses
7. Erdogan’s Ambition for the Caliphate and the Failure of Turkish Democracy
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NEWS, COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS

1. After election boost, Turkey’s Erdogan may reward nationalists with cabinet jobs – sources
27 June 2018/The Region
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan could give his nationalist allies cabinet posts, sources said, rewarding their support for his AKP party in parliament and signalling a tough line against U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria and Kurdish movement at home.
http://theregion.org/article/13739-after-election-boost-turkey-039-s-erdogan-may-reward-nationalists-with-cabinet-jobs-sources

2. “The house always wins in Vegas” – analysts assess Turkey’s elections
27 June 2018/Ahval News
Following the surprisingly strong performance of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in Turkey’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, analysts said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will need to make further concessions to a growing tide of nationalism in Turkish politics.
https://ahvalnews.com/elections/house-always-wins-vegas-analysts-assess-turkeys-elections

3. Demirtaş: It is a great success that the HDP is in the Parliament
27 June 2018/ ANF News
HDP’s Presidential Candidate Selahattin Demirtaş posted messages on his social media accounts through his lawyers on the outcome of the elections.
https://anfenglish.com/news/demirtas-it-is-a-great-success-that-the-hdp-is-in-the-parliament-27729

4. U.S. says respects Turkey’s vote results
26 June 2018/The Region
The U.S. State Department said on Monday it respected the decision of Turkish voters and looked forward to a constructive tie with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan following his weekend election victory, but urged him to strengthen his country’s democracy.
http://theregion.org/news/13734-u-s-says-respects-turkey-039-s-vote-results

5. Commentary: Five Questions: ‘Turkey is no longer a democracy’
26 June 2018/Reuters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will serve his latest term as a more powerful head of state, wielding extensive executive powers approved in a controversial referendum last year. Howard Eissenstat, an associate professor of Middle East history at St. Lawrence University spoke to Reuters about the implications of the poll outcome.
https://in.reuters.com/article/us-getz-turkey-commentary/commentary-five-questions-turkey-is-no-longer-a-democracy-idINKBN1JL2SN

6. Despite all the pressure, HDP prevailed in Turkey’s elections
26 June 2018/The Region
The HDP has now succeeded in surmounting the ten per cent threshold winning around around 65 seats. According to the as-yet non-final results, the HDP surmounted the threshold taking around 11-12 per cent of the vote. According to the non-final results, the HDP continues to be the third largest party in parliament after the AKP and CHP.
http://theregion.org/article/13729-despite-all-pressure-hdp-prevailed-turkey-039-s-elections

7. OSCE should avoid ‘biased’ analysis of Turkey’s election, Foreign Ministry says
26 June 2018/Hurriyet Daily News
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on June 26 urged the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) election observation missions to “avoid making political analysis” and “biased comments” on the country’s recent snap parliamentary and presidential elections, which took place under an ongoing state of emergency.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/osce-should-avoid-biased-analysis-of-turkeys-election-foreign-ministry-says-133825

8. Turkey elections impacted by restrictions on freedom, says OSCE
25 June 2018/ Deutsche Welle
Opposition parties have been denied equal conditions for campaigning in Turkey’s elections, say international observers. The OSCE has said that already-limited media freedoms were hampered by Turkey’s state of emergency.
https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-elections-impacted-by-restrictions-on-freedom-says-osce/a-44383711

9. Voters had genuine choice in Turkish elections, but incumbent president and ruling party enjoyed undue advantage, including in media, international observers say
25 June 2018/Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
“We noticed a more intrusive presence of the police in polling stations than in previous elections, which contributed, in some cases, to creating a climate of insecurity, and possibly pressure against the electorate and, on occasion, international observers.” There were a number of attacks and disruptions of campaign activities, mostly against the People’s Democratic Party (HDP).
https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/turkey/385704

10. Turkey, Early Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, 24 June 2018: Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions
25 June 2018/ Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/turkey/385671
[PDF] English <https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/turkey/385671?download=true> / Turkish <https://www.osce.org/tr/odihr/elections/turkey/385698?download=true>

11. (VIDEO) Turkey’s Historic Election: What to Expect Next?
25 June 2018/Washington Institute
Watch a live conversation as leading Turkey experts assess the historic June 24 elections and the prospects for President Erdogan’s new term with expanded powers. The Washington Institute hosted a Policy Forum with Rich Outzen, Lisel Hintz, Nick Danforth, and Soner Cagaptay
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/turkeys-historic-election-what-to-expect-next
 
12. Turkey election: there is almost no one left who can speak truth to power
25 June 2018/The Times
Days after President Erdogan called elections in April a poster appeared on my street in Istanbul. Across it were printed the letters “OHAL”, standing for Turkey’s 23-month-old state of emergency. The “O” was fashioned into a face that was stylised but instantly recognisable: Adolf Hitler.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-election-there-is-almost-no-one-left-who-can-speak-truth-to-power-m8tn3kt7q?shareToken=ac7545de72bacc85a8ac732c9c3e8d76

13. The impact of Turkey’s election: Erdogan’s sweeping new powers
25 June 2018/ Deutsche Welle
Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been working toward an executive presidency in Turkey for years. Now, he’s got what he wanted – a victory that gives him sweeping new powers.
https://www.dw.com/en/the-impact-of-turkeys-election-erdogans-sweeping-new-powers/a-44387981

14. Turks in Germany praise ‘our leader’ after two-thirds vote for Erdogan
25 June 2018/ Deutsche Welle
Support for Erdogan was proportionally higher among the Turkish community in Germany than it was in Turkey. That, alongside celebrations in German cities after Erdogan won the election, has drawn criticism.
https://www.dw.com/en/turks-in-germany-praise-our-leader-after-two-thirds-vote-for-erdogan/a-44378286

15. Turkey’s Erdogan claims victory in presidential and parliamentary elections
25 June 2018/ Deutsche Welle
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has won another term, securing an outright majority according to official results. The elections are the first held under a new system which gives the president expansive powers.
https://www.dw.com/en/turkeys-erdogan-claims-victory-in-presidential-and-parliamentary-elections/a-44375907

16. Turkey election: Erdoğan strikes combative tone in victory speech
25 June 2018/The Guardian
Erdoğan spoke of his commitment to “fight terroristic organisations”, “to continue the fight to make the Syrian grounds freer” and to increase the “international prestige” of Turkey <https://www.theguardian.com/world/turkey> , saying: “Turkey has no moment to waste, we know that…One nation, one flag, one country, one state.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/24/erdogan-claims-victory-in-turkish-presidential-election

17. Demirtaş: Authoritarian regimes eventually collapse; sometimes it happens quickly, sometime it takes longer
23 June 2018/The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)/The Guardian
I write these lines to you from a maximum-security Turkish jail – which must surely be a strange idea for anyone who lives in a stable democracy. In any country where parliamentary democracy functions properly, members of parliament and leaders of political parties are not put in prison for their policies.
http://www.hdp.org.tr/en/english/news/press-coverage/demirtas-authoritarian-regimes-eventually-collapse-sometimes-it-happens-quickly-sometime-it-takes-longer/12205

18. HDP’s Diyarbakir candidates breathe eve of poll optimism
23 June 2018/The Region
“There are 70 districts in Diyarbakir and I’ve visited all of them. I’ve been to the villages, visited people in their homes and at their work. People are more hopeful now and they’re echoing the HDP campaign slogans saying, “We are here and you will win”.
http://theregion.org/article/13710-hdp-039-s-diyarbakir-candidates-breath-eve-of-poll-optimism

19. German, Swedish OSCE election observers denied entry to Turkey
22 June 2018/Hurriyet Daily News
Two lawmakers from Germany and Sweden have said Turkey blocked their entrance to the country for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) observatory mission for upcoming elections to be held on June 24.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/german-swedish-osce-election-observers-denied-entry-to-turkey-133652

OPINION

1. Erdogan’s victory will have far-reaching implications for Turkey and the Middle East
26 June 2018/The Conversation
The election was held in the climate of a two-year state of emergency, Erdogan’s considerable weight on Turkish media, and his ruling party’s dominance of the election process. This was no ordinary election and will have historic ramifications for Turkey, its relations with the West and the Middle East.
https://theconversation.com/erdogans-victory-will-have-far-reaching-implications-for-turkey-and-the-middle-east-98849

2. A snap analysis of Turkey’s snap election
2 June 2018/Hurriyet Daily News
Erdoğan’s said his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) missed its target of winning a parliamentary majority, which will have to be maintained through the continuation of his alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinion/murat-yetkin/a-snap-analysis-of-turkeys-snap-election-133742

3. We urgently need to talk about Turkey. Because that was not a fair and free election.
25 June 2018/The Canary
Even discounting the problems with the casting and counting of ballots, the campaign itself was not democratic. I spent the day of the Turkish elections on the ground in Sur, the ancient ‘old city’ of Diyarbakır/Amed that suffered huge devastation in military assaults by the Turkish state between 2015 and 2016.
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2018/06/25/we-urgently-need-to-talk-about-turkey-because-that-was-not-a-fair-and-free-election/

4. Turkey’s Turning Point
25 June 2018/The Times
For the next five years President Erdogan will be able directly to appoint top public officials, including ministers and vice-presidents. He will, under the power granted him by Turkey’s new constitution, be allowed to intervene in the country’s legal system. And he will have the right to impose a state of emergency. The constitution permits him to stand for a third term when his second finishes in 2023.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-s-turning-point-pjtshgpzl?shareToken=8a5d4f76340329844e5ad256e27a60f8

5. Turkey becoming ‘one man state’ warns defeated Erdogan rival Muharrem Ince
25 June/The Times
Turkey’s opposition leader warned that the nation is heading towards “one man rule” as Muharrem Ince <https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/muharrem-ince-the-man-who-could-topple-erdogan-xcshhzznm> conceded electoral defeat to President Erdogan.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-becoming-one-man-state-warns-defeated-erdogan-rival-muharrem-ince-wbn5l0ztt?shareToken=b285850f8d7d045c4858d67282e34df3

6. Opinion: Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins, democracy loses
25 June 2018/ Deutsche Welle
Turkey has voted in historic presidential and parliamentary elections. Despite the controversial vote, Erdogan claimed victory. The road ahead will be hard for the opposition and its supporters, writes DW’s Seda Serdar.
https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-recep-tayyip-erdogan-wins-democracy-loses/a-44378309

7. Erdogan’s Ambition for the Caliphate and the Failure of Turkish Democracy
25June 2018/Consortium News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to have won another five-year term in elections on Sunday. But what does that mean for the future of Turkish democracy?, asks Aydogan Vatandas.
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/06/25/erdogans-ambition-for-the-caliphate-and-the-failure-of-turkish-democracy/

Peace in Kurdistan

Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question

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www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.com

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