Turkey

Turkey operates an executive presidential system. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) holds 281 of 592 filled parliamentary seats, and its ally the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) holds 46. Elections are scheduled for 2028. Erdoğan, first elected president in 2014, is serving his second term under the executive presidential system introduced in 2018. A parliamentary decision to renew elections during this term, requiring 360 of 600 votes, would allow him to stand again.

Judicial intervention has reshaped the opposition. On 21 May 2026, an Ankara regional appeals court annulled the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) 2023 congress, removing Özgür Özel as leader and reinstating Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu pending a final judgment. In July, Özel and 90 other lawmakers formed Yeni Parti (New Party). Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu remains detained following his arrest in March 2025. His corruption trial with more than 400 defendants began on 9 March 2026; the court continued his detention on 17 October. Human Rights Watch describes the corruption charges against him as politically motivated.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced its decision to dissolve and end armed struggle on 12 May 2025. Law 7595, published on 18 August 2026, provides for conditional deferral of specified investigations, prosecutions and sentences. These measures depend on security institutions verifying dissolution and disarmament and a confirming National Security Council decision being published in the Official Gazette.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks Turkey 163rd of 180 countries in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, with a score of 27.94, down from 159th and 29.40 in 2025. RSF estimates that 90% of national media outlets are under government control. Freedom House rates Turkey Not Free, with 32 out of 100. The European Commission’s 2025 report identified backsliding in freedom of expression, a lack of independence at the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), and concentrated media ownership among businesses close to the government.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on 12 October that at least 22 journalists had been arrested or detained under the disinformation law in 2026. Its separate count recorded 14 journalists in prison in September across different charges. The Journalists’ Union of Turkey’s May 2026 report documented 113 disinformation investigations involving at least 88 journalists since October 2022. BirGün journalist İsmail Arı was remanded in custody on 21 October 2026.

State-appointed trustees have taken control of additional broadcasters. The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) became trustee of 121 Can Holding companies, including its media businesses, in September 2025, and of Tele1 in October 2025. On 14 October 2026, police raided Halk TV, which was placed under trusteeship during an investigation into alleged financial crimes. Its live broadcast was interrupted. Bianet counted ten television channels placed under TMSF control since March 2025, including Flash Haber TV and Ekotürk.

Law 7590, published on 31 July 2026, transferred certain internet regulatory powers from the Information and Communication Technologies Authority to the Cyber Security Presidency, including powers to order urgent access restrictions before judicial approval. The Freedom of Expression Association documented blocking orders affecting at least 1,270 X accounts in September; X withheld 90% of those accounts in Turkey. Parliament also adopted revised powers to suspend official advertising in newspapers, magazines and internet news sites in June 2026, following a Constitutional Court annulment published in October 2025.

SMM’s current 2026 mapping covers ten organisations and media groups. Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) and Anadolu Agency are State-Controlled (SC). Can Medya Grubu is Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu). Seven privately owned groups are Captured Private (CaPr): Demirören, Albayrak, Turkuvaz, Türk Medya, Hayat Görsel, İhlas and Doğuş. Under the State Media Matrix, CaPr requires persistent, systemic control of editorial coverage by entities linked to state authorities.

TRT combines state funding, presidential appointments and documented editorial bias. A mandatory levy on electronic devices supplied 83.6% of its 2024 revenue, according to Court of Accounts findings reported by BirGün. Erdoğan appointed its board and director general in July 2025. The European Commission found that its coverage continued to heavily favour the ruling parties.

At Anadolu Agency, the Treasury holds 47.75% of the shares and has a statutory usufruct right over shares acquired by the agency itself, which holds 50.07%. The Constitutional Court recorded in 2020 that most of its income came from the Directorate of Communications’ budget allocation. In April 2026, chief executive Serdar Karagöz said AA had to form part of the communication strategy set by the Directorate.

Can’s media group moved from CaPr to CaPu in 2026 following the transfer of management to TMSF trustees. EHA Medya was removed from active mapping in the 2026 review because the available evidence did not sufficiently establish state editorial control. Its independence remains undetermined.

Media profiles