EGF Turkey File, June 20 — July 18, 2016

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics

June — July 2016

By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Guest Analyst

Key Points:

• Turkey"s elected government fends off a coup, briefly uniting the nation"s citizens, media and opposition parties to break the nation"s history of military takeovers.

• Opposition parties and media now fear the ruling AKP government may use the coup as an excuse to further cement its power.

• The AKP government demands the U.S. turn over the exiled Fethullah Gulen, who it claims is behind the putsch attempt.

• The Turkish economy runs the risk of being impacted by capital flight and halt of foreign investment, should the government overplay its hand in investigating the coup.
• In the weeks before the coup, Turkey attempts to reset relations with once close partners Israel and Russia.