Seren Selvin Korkmaz is co-founder and board member of the IstanPol Institute. She held the position of executive director from January 2018 until November 2023.
Korkmaz is a researcher at Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies. In 2023, Korkmaz was honored as a Marshall Memorial Fellow by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. Her previous appointments include positions as a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington D.C., a Fox International Fellow at Yale University, and a research fellow at the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul. She works with international and domestic actors as political analyst and advisor on a broad range of issues, trends and developments with a special focus on internal Turkish political dynamics.
Articles
The Strategies and Struggles of the Turkish Opposition under Autocratization
Introduction Turkey has undergone a major economic, social, and political transformation during the two decades of Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) rule. Despite its early democratization efforts during the European Union (EU) accession negotiations and various political and judicial reforms, the AKP has since become the main driver of rising autocratization … Continue reading The Strategies and Struggles of the Turkish Opposition under Autocratization
Turkey’s youth: Hope for re-democratization amid polarization
An estimated six million new voters will take part in the national elections of 2023. Political parties are after them
A Turkish Playbook for Fighting Populism
While President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pursues a fear-based strategy of polarization, Turkey’s opposition parties are maintaining a strong alliance and a positive message. If they win next year’s national elections, democratic forces seeking to unseat populist autocrats elsewhere will certainly register how they did it.
Videos
Interviews
En Turquie, l’opposition parvient à s’unir face à Erdogan pour la présidentielle de mai
Le leader du Parti républicain du peuple (CHP), Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, a été désigné par une large coalition de six mouvements, de la gauche à la droite nationaliste. Il défiera un dirigeant en place depuis vingt ans, affaibli par le séisme du 6 février. Click here to read the rest of the article.
Gen Z Turks get ready to put ‘unbeatable’ Erdogan out of a job
The president hopes to extend his 20-year rule in May’s elections but young voters angry at his illiberal policies have other ideas Click here to read the rest of the article.
The Strategies and Struggles of the Turkish Opposition under Autocratization
Introduction Turkey has undergone a major economic, social, and political transformation during the two decades of Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) rule. Despite its early democratization efforts during the European Union (EU) accession negotiations and various political and judicial reforms, the AKP has since become the main driver of rising autocratization … Continue reading The Strategies and Struggles of the Turkish Opposition under Autocratization