EGF Turkey File, March 15 — April 23, 2017

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics

15 March — 23 April, 2017

By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Turkey"s constitutional referendum passes narrowly, with just more than 51 percent approving the elimination of the old parliamentary system in favour of a stronger presidential executive power.
• The AKP leader looks set to continue his confrontations with Europe, saying the first orders of business would be the reintroduction of the death penalty, if parliament approves, and a re-assessment of Turkey"s long stalled bid for EU membership.
• The United States launches a missile strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after reports of a chemical attack launched by the regime, giving Turkey the ally in the White House it has long sought.
• In a world with low oil prices, Russia"s continuing partnership with Turkey likely supersedes all other concerns despite diverse opinions on the future of Syria.