Democracy and civil society
All topics-
Rebuilding after the earthquakes in Turkey
The determination and resilience of Antakya
The multicultural, historical city of Antakya was devastated by the earthquakes that struck the region on 6 February, but its inhabitants are fighting to save its heritage and community. Ayse Karabat reports from south-eastern Turkey
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Elections in Turkey
Turkish nationalists on the rise
Neither Erdogan's botched response to the February quakes nor the ailing economy seem to have hurt his popularity with supporters. The president is still capable of turning things around, says Erkan Arikan
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Turkish elections
Turkey's Erdogan pushed to historic run-off
Retired civil servant Kemal Kilicdaroglu has pushed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into an election runoff – the first of the country's post-Ottoman history. It was a bittersweet result that left the opposition leader's supporters frustrated following a heated night of vote counting
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Turkish activist Osman Kavala
"We have a strong political opposition"
The Turkish human rights activist Osman Kavala has been imprisoned in Turkey since 2017. Erdoğan's government considers him an enemy of the state. In this interview, Kavala tells Linda Vierecke why he still has hope in spite of it all.
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Elections in Turkey
The end of the Erdogan era?
As polling day on 14 May approaches, opinion polls put Turkey's opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu ahead of President Erdogan. Could this mean that Erdoğan's time at the helm of the nation is almost over? An analysis by Yasar Aydin
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Narendra Modi and Hindutva
Why violence towards India's minorities is increasing
To what extent is Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government endangering India's founding principle as a secular state? Sonja Hegasy spoke to social anthropologist and political analyst S. M. Faizan Ahmed in Delhi
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Generation Erdogan
More than 5 million young Turks to vote for the first time
Some 5.2 million young Turks will vote for the first time in the May 14 presidential and legislative elections, and they could be key to deciding the country’s future
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UN Special Envoy Volker Perthes on Sudan
"We must make sure this war does not drag on"
UN special envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes rejects accusations that the West is to blame for the current crisis in Sudan. In interview with Kossivi Tiassou, he warns of "bounty hunters" and mercenaries from abroad joining the conflict while tens of thousands of Sudanese citizens flee their country
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Freedom of speech in Lebanon
Jail? Don't make me laugh!
In June 2022, Lebanese comedian Shaden Fakih was court-martialled for allegedly humiliating the security forces. She talked to Lena Bopp about coming out on live television, sexism on the comedy scene and the changes in her country
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Power struggle in Sudan
Sudan's generals "should have been dealt with as war criminals"
The representatives of Sudan's civil society made a terrible mistake in agreeing to share power with the military, writes political analyst Ali Anouzla, who feels that by believing the military's promises, the leaders of the country's civil society bear part of the responsibility for what is happening today in Sudan
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Sudanese artists speak out
"It's not our war"
Sudan has become a battleground. But it is not the war of the people who live there, say exiled Sudanese writers Stella Gitano and Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin. By Stefan Dege
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Germany's Turkish diaspora
Why Turks in Germany still vote for Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing an uphill re-election battle, but if the vote took place in Germany, he'd win. Burak Unveren asks why do so many Turks in Germany continue to support the Turkish president?