Turkey's Political Future, Economy

The Middle East Institute hosted its 8th annual Conference on Turkey at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. In this portion, panelists discussed the future of the Turkish economy, including increased trade with the European Union. Experts talked about how President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political power has been buoyed by public spending that supports bread and butter economic issues; however, that trend could be hampered without significant economic reforms including a stronger focus on managing inflation, more transparency, and a shift toward long-term sustainable growth. They also discussed how political crackdowns and human rights abuses have also exacerbated a “brain drain” in Turkey and hurt outside economic investment. close