Tag "Turkey"
ISIL in Iraq Series: Iraq-Turkey economic ties survive ISIL
ISIL is proving to be not just a political threat to Iraq, but an economic one too. Nevertheless, Iraq-Turkey trade and investment prospects will not suffer as ruinous a decline
Saudi foreign policy seems headed in the right direction
Despite a tumultuous year, the new changes in Saudi foreign policy are affecting the region for the better. For almost a year now, observers of Saudi Arabia have felt like
Erdogan undermines Turkish Central Bank’s autonomy
On 30 April, the Governor of Turkey’s Central Bank, Erdem Basci, announced an interest rate cut in the near future, but specified neither number nor schedule. The announcement came a week after reaffirming the Bank’s
Corruption still a major hurdle for Turkey
Recent manifestations of entrenched corruption in Turkey threaten to unsettle investor confidence. The outcome of the Turkish local elections on March 30 left many political observers somewhat uneasy about the prospects
Israeli gas upsets Mediterranean energy dynamics
Israeli natural gas exports have the potential to reshape energy dynamics across the Mediterranean, helping Israel and its neighbors to diversify their energy access. Regional political risks, however, loom large
Erdogan and AKP preserve power in local elections
Turkey’s recent mayoral polls were an unofficial referendum on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).The vote results proved that Erdogan has survived the
Despite AKP win, twitter ban risks polarization in Turkey
The ruling Justice and Development Party’s strong win in local elections secured Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s power and political clout. However, with his recent Twitter ban, the premier risks
Pipeline to Turkey intensifies dispute over Iraqi oil
Tension between the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi central government once again escalated as a new pipeline links oil fields in Northern Iraq directly to Turkey. Turkey has
Turkey attempts to curtail judicial independence
Judicial reforms proposed in Turkey, though shelved for the moment, call into question Erdogan’s ability to emerge from the current political crisis with an intact democracy and rule of law.
US taper puts pressure on emerging markets
The Federal Reserve’s decision in January to continue reducing the pace of asset purchases has put emerging markets in a bind. At the end of January, the Federal Reserve decided
