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Turkey's government under President Erdogan pursues assertive regional diplomacy with Egypt and Saudi Arabia while managing internal political friction, as a major regional conflict between the US/Israel and Iran erupts, directly impacting security and society.
February 2026
Week of Feb 23, compared to 12-week average
favourable and authoritative
The economy shows mixed signals with major AI investments announced but also disruptions to key sectors. Turkish Airlines cancelled flights to several Middle East countries amid regional airspace closures, while energy prices fell due to delays in Black Sea oil production.
Turkish President Erdogan is actively strengthening regional ties, holding high-level meetings with Egypt's leader and visiting Saudi Arabia, while also criticizing Israel's recognition of Somaliland. Domestically, his appointment of a controversial prosecutor as justice minister sparked significant controversy.
Security is dominated by a major regional conflict and domestic military accidents. The US and Israel struck Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks, while Turkey suffered two separate F-16 fighter jet crashes that killed pilots.
Society is polarized, with political tensions spilling into physical violence in parliament and sparking debates over secularism. A fight broke out in the Turkish parliament over the justice minister's appointment, and planned Ramadan school activities ignited a secularism debate.
