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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Özel noted that one of the judges who released eight of İmamoğlu’s detained associates due to a lack of evidence was demoted for refusing to follow Erdoğan’s directives to order arrests despite the absence of supporting evidence.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Reiterated that Erdoğan sought Trump’s backing before the March 19 coup attempt and the arrest of Istanbul mayor Imamoglu, and claimed that Erdoğan dodges questions about whether he got Trump’s approval prior to İmamoğlu’s arrest

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Unveiled the first plan for a rally outside Istanbul, set to take place this weekend in Samsun, a city of symbolic importance, as it was where Atatürk launched the Turkish War of Independence against the Allied powers in 1919.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

He listed the boycotted companies and media outlets, directly calling out individual business leaders by name. He also announced that tomorrow they will visit the NTV (a major private TV channel) headquarters to protest the channel’s silence.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

He called out Erdoğan for his silence on Trump’s remarks about turning Gaza into “seafront property” and the displacement of Palestinians, while reaffirming the CHP’s long-standing support for the Palestinian cause.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Ozel referred to Erdoğan-appointed ministers as mere “secretaries”, implying they’re nothing more than official stenographers for the regime without actual agency, and stated they would be treated accordingly.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Ozel argued that Erdoğan is incapable of solving the Kurdish issue—not just because he leads a junta regime, but because he stands against democracy itself, retaliating against Kurds for backing İmamoğlu and opposition candidates in Istanbul (referring to the 'urban consensus').

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Openly accused Erdoğan of orchestrating the March 19 coup and labeled him a junta leader, stating that he is afraid of the ballot box. Earlier this week, Erdoğan reacted angrily to being called a junta leader and repeatedly denied the claims in speeches and on Twitter.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

The Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel gave a forceful speech at today’s Istanbul rally, significantly raising the stakes against Erdogan. There’s no sign of retreat and in fact, protests, political action, and calls for boycott are progressing steadily. Here are some notes🧵

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Durrie Bouscaren @durriethekid.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Turkish politics analyst @yusufcan.bsky.social told me this extraordinary move was intended to demonstrate İmamoğlu's appeal across the country: "It makes them look quite democratic in this in this context, plus it gives them a very strong legitimacy in the eyes of the people."

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

I realized I stepped away from this platform for no good reason and ended up posting excessively on Twitter about the Turkish protests. It’s good to be back. From Twitter censorship to millions of Turkish people protesting, so much has happened.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

I’ll be discussing the tension in northern Syria following Assad’s fall and Erdoğan’s advances, the implications for the U.S., and potential paths to peace at a webinar hosted by the Kurdish Peace Institute and moderated by Meghan Bodette.

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James Ryan @jdryan08.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

I agree. New arrangements in Syria could dramatically alter the political economy inside Turkey. There will be appetite to return refugees, and possibly send troops to AANES. The first may be popular but undermines aspects of RTE’s clientele, the second could prove more of a slog than anticipated.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Obviously, there are still 3.5 years until the next election, and much can change in that time. However, I find it hard to believe that AKP, behind the scenes, would view developments in Syria as a guaranteed path to electoral victory, given the domestic context—at least not in the short term.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

I find it unlikely that Erdoğan would opt for an early election when he has until 2028 to govern. And, they seem to be prioritizing constitutional changes before holding any elections. Also, the economy is dire, making this a very different moment compared to the early election after Afrin in 2018.

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Sinem Adar @sinemadar.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

I am not yet sure of the narrative that TR is the "winner" of the developments in Syria. It is too early to tell. Much depends on the dynamics among local actors (particularly the HTS and SDF), the dynamics between HTS and Ankara, and their social&political implications for internal politics in TR.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Erdogan’s political victories or “wins” often come at Turkey’s expense rather than its benefit. While online propaganda suggests otherwise, I doubt developments in Syria will serve the broader interests of Turkish society, especially if Turkey becomes further entangled in Syria’s domestic affairs.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu raised this issue at the 31st Türkiye Working Group Meeting of the European Committee of the Regions, yet discussions remain limited. While legal and illegal migration dominate the discourse, legitimate grievances continue to grow

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Academics, students, and other professionals are increasingly impacted by visa rejections, with a concerning lack of transparency. Political factors may contribute, but addressing these issues openly and promptly to prevent further strain on EU-Turkey relations would be smart

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

A wave of “Schengen anxiety” is evident in the EU-Turkey relationship, with an increasing number of visa apps from Turkish citizens being denied. This calls for EU and Turkish authorities to provide clear explanations for the rejections and outline steps to address grievances.

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Middle East Program @wilsoncentermep.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Follow @wilsoncenter.org's Middle East Program on Bluesky!

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

9/ But all of this carries risks. Many within the Syrian opposition are Salafi Islamists who could pose a security threat to Turkey itself. Empowering such groups for short-term gains could backfire, destabilizing the region and Turkey in the long run.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

8/ Erdoğan also leverages Syria and Syrians domestically. By framing his policies within a neo-Ottomanist discourse, he galvanizes his base while polarizing society. At the same time, he may pressure Kurds to support him through constitutional changes, securing his grip on power.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

7/ Given the irredentist currents within Ankara, the Turkish government could potentially argue that Syria was never a “real” country, tho unlikely, using this narrative to justify expansionist military policies. But hard to imagine a scenario this going smoothly.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

6/ In this scenario, Turkey could justify a direct intervention in Syria, arguing that “if we don’t act, the YPG will.” This approach would position Turkey as the primary actor shaping Syria’s future while sidelining rivals. Still, hard to achieve.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

5/ Alternatively, Ankara may have a far more ambitious plan: expanding its borders/irredentism. Turkish media is full of this stuff. The groundwork for this could involve filling Syria’s power vacuum under the guise of countering HTS/FSA’s collapse or preventing a YPG takeover.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

4/ The broader goal? Redesign the Syria-Iraq region (Turkey’s southern +SE border) to reduce Iran’s dominance, replacing it with a joint influence of Turkey, the US, and Israel and sideline Russia.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

3/ At the same time, Turkey might seek to weaken Assad’s regime and reduce Iran’s influence in Syria and Iraq. This could also serve to appease the US-Israel bloc by aligning regional power dynamics in Ankara’s favor, tho risky.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

2/ This would trap Kurdish areas in a deadlock, and can allow Ankara(AKP+MHP) to use Öcalan as a tool to force negotiations. The aim? To establish a sphere of influence Turkey could directly control along its borders and beyond.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

A Thread: Turkey’s Possible Moves in Syria with Trump’s Return 1/ With Trump returning, Turkey may be preparing to sit at the table with stronger leverage. One strategy could be creating a weakened Syrian regime that lacks the legitimacy or the power to grant Kurdish autonomy.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Folks expect leftists to live as if they earn minimum wage, even when they make a decent or above-average income, because of one of the most absurd framings of moral consistency

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Turkish police violently suppressed women in İstanbul protesting femicides and gender-based violence, turning a day of awareness into a display of state hostility. Nothing new yet still gruesome.

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Euroopan rajalla? @euroopanrajalla.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Governor of Istanbul has banned all events in Beyoğlu on 25 November marking the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women. One might think they really don't like/appreciate women...

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Discover the story of @metcihan.bsky.social the journalist who uncovered Turkey’s ongoing trade with Israel—including Erdoğan’s son. This documentary reveals his reporting, which forced him into exile after exposing an AKP official’s involvement in the murder of a child.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

I think both hate speech and disinformation do exist on bluesky but the main difference is that they are not spread or exacerbated by the very owners of the platform in the name of so called free speech

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Erdogan has once again undermined democracy by illegally replacing the elected mayors of Tunceli and Ovacık—representing the DEM Party and CHP, respectively—with government-appointed trustees. So far, Erdogan has illegally taken over 6 mayorships since losing the local elections last March

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

I’ll be participating as a panelist at the Second ALECSO Forum for Twinning Arab Universities this Thursday (Nov 21). I’ll be talking about US, EU, and MENA collaboration on workforce education for green entrepreneurship. The forum is hosted by University of Sharjah and ALESCO.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

If you're keen to learn content verification for fact-checking and open source investigations, this is a step-by-step guide on how to verify images and videos that I posted a while ago. Once you familiarise yourself with reverse search, you'll become much better at spotting online misinformation.

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Please share with those who may be interested. Thank you!

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Yusuf Can @yusufcan.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Applications are now open for the Wilson Center’s Agents of Change Youth Fellowship! 👥 Applicants: Must be from the #MENA region 🗓️ Deadline: Dec 15, 2024 📍For more info and to apply: buff.ly/49FxH

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Suat Alper Orhan @saorhan.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

I made a feed for the upcoming federal elections in Germany. Feel free to like, pin and share.

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