Turkey’s political landscape in 2025 is marked by mounting repression, opposition crackdowns, and deepening polarization as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) seek to consolidate power.

Opposition-run municipalities led by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) have faced sweeping arrests this year, with 17 mayors—including Istanbul’s Ekrem Imamoglu and Beyoglu’s Inan Guney—now jailed or under house arrest. Many CHP officials accuse Erdogan of weaponising corruption probes to neutralize rivals, while courts have ousted key leaders such as Istanbul’s CHP head Ozgur Celik, prompting internal turmoil. Defections have further weakened the opposition, with at least 56 mayors switching to the AKP since the last elections.

Despite the crackdown, protests and weekly rallies continue across Turkey, with surveys showing growing discontent. Polls in July indicated CHP edging ahead of AKP, with 67 percent of Turks favoring an end to the Erdogan era.

Turkey’s worsening economy has fueled frustration. Inflation, which peaked at 59 percent in 2024, eased to 34 percent by July 2025 but remains high. A March lira crash triggered by Imamoglu’s arrest forced the central bank to intervene with $25 billion in reserves. Rising food and housing prices continue to squeeze citizens.

In contrast, Erdogan has relied on foreign policy wins and nationalism to shore up support. Ankara signed a $900 million drone deal with Pakistan in July and struck a military cooperation accord with Syria after the Assad regime’s collapse. Erdogan’s decision to cut ties with Israel over Gaza and his “Terror-Free Turkey” campaign against the PKK are portrayed as signs of strong leadership.

Still, growing protests, a fragile economy, and simmering opposition unity pose hurdles to Erdogan’s ambition of extending his rule beyond current constitutional limits.