Turkey/Middle East Program
Ifri's Turkey/Middle East Program aims to provide expertise on the trends and developments in politics, societies and economies across the region.
The programme has the following objectives:
- Proposing a new approach towards the MENA region through an analysis of local, regional, and international dynamics with the potential to guide and influence new policies.
- Highlighting the role of foreign powers which have traditionally been present in the region and analyzing the new role taken on by emerging countries ;
- Anticipating new directions and outlooks in each country.
- Interpreting risks and potentials and putting forward new templates for analysis.
The programme has built a dense network of researchers and experts who provide expertise on the MENA region and working together on a range of crosscutting themes.
Read more
Head of the Turkey/Middle East Program, Ifri
Titre Bloc Axe
Research Areas
See all our interventions
Titre Axe de recherche
Türkiye Observatory
Türkiye Observatory's main objective is to sustain a regular flux of information provided by esteemed experts. This allows us to account for the rapid transformations that affect today's Turkish society, economy and political world.
This information can be accessed on Ifri's website where we regularly post "notes d'analyses"- short papers (5-6 pages long) tackling topical issues. These notes are produced by Turkish researchers and analysts, and by experts on Türkiye and its immediate regional environment. Every note is commented on by another expert in the form of a short interview, in order to provide a counter-perspective to the points made in the note. This allows the expression of different, competing points of view and thus launches a debate on the important issues Türkiye is facing.
Although it priviledges a policy oriented and contemporary analysis, the Observatory whithin the Contemporary Türkiye Program also tackles the historical and sociological dimension of things, in order to better understand present developments in Türkiye. The program will tackle both substantive and conjunctural issues.
Titre Axe de recherche
French-Turkish Dialogue
Türkiye's relationship with the European Union today is a major factor that determines how it conducts reforms, but it is important to look at the cost of this adjustment. The process of recovering the acquis communautaire is long and constantly faces problems posed by political projects (such as the stability of institutions, religious minorities, Cyprus, etc.).
The evolution of Euro-Turkish relations uncovers some of Türkiye's internal fragilities. The Franco-Turkish relation partially illustrates these difficulties, but it also experiences the tensions associated with mutations the society, political systems and economic structure of the two countries endured.
In any case, it is important to evaluate the state of the political, economic and cultural relations between France and Türkiye and to understand the reasons for their evolution. Down the road, it is important to tie new partnerships in order to secure the development of a realistic and harmonious interaction between the two countries.
Today, Ifri is positioned at the centre of a renewed Franco-Turkish dialogue, aiming to overcome generalisations, erroneous perceptions and circumstantial disagreements. Ifri aims to offer civil society actors, the business community, the non profit sector and the media occasions to communicate in a safe space.
The Contemporary Türkiye Program thus aims to encourage the Franco-Turkish dialogue on three complementary planes: debating ideas, a business dialogue and a media dialogue.
Titre Axe de recherche
Middle East/North Africa
From Morocco to Saudi Arabia, internal destabilizations, the redistribution of states, and the assertion of new regional powers are at work in a region that remains central to all the world's powers.
Publications
"Playing with Molecules": The Italian Approach to Libya
This paper aims to analyse the many ways in which Italy is trying to play with the many Libyan “molecules”, the different parties of a fragmented and collapsing country, and the possible implications of the strategy adopted by the Gentiloni government and its Minister of Interior, Marco Minniti, towards the country and the migratory crisis.
The Taboo of the Armenian Genocide, Part Two: The Politics of American Avoidance
The Armenian Genocide has been a topic of trials and tribulations in American politics for quite some time. It has been an issue in Presidential campaigns, like that of now-President Obama: when he promised to recognize it. It has been the topic of votes, such as the most recent 2010 vote which failed to recognize the genocide. It has been a funnel for interests, lobbying, and foreign investment. With Germany recently recognizing the genocide and an American Presidential election at hand, speculation of American recognition is once again at a high. As politicians debate the issue, or avoid it altogether, the American political system moves forward. There are various key players in American politics, but in specificity to the Armenian Genocide issue, there are the Armenian, Turkish, and Israeli lobbies, and the constituencies they represent.
The Taboo of the Armenian Genocide, Part One: Global Reaction and American Inaction
In the Syrian refugee crisis enveloping Europe, Turkey has become the bottleneck toward which migrants are flowing into Europe, a factor increasingly important for Germany in particular. Relations have been strained, however, due to disputes over the possibility of lifting visa requirements.
Turkey: the Sèvres Syndrome, or the Endless War
For Turks, the Treaty of Sèvres symbolises the dissolution of the empire and the carving up of Turkey by foreign powers.
The Left in Turkey: A Fragmented History
The Gezi protest movement gripped Turkey throughout the summer of 2013 and reignited observers’ interest in Turkey’s left-wing activist groups, which participated in the protests.
U.S.-Moroccan Relations: How Special?
U.S.-Moroccan ties have sometimes been described as a "special relationship." This paper explores the bilateral relationship to investigate how special it really is.
Iran's Presidential Election: a Distorted Western Perspective?
The election of a religious leader at the presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran contradicts many of the analyses of western media and experts on Iranian politics.
The Obama Administration and Syria: From "off the table" to on
A quick look at the news dealing with the Syrian uprising the last year shows a slow progression from protests and civil resistance towards violence. The Obama Administration’s policy dealing with what many have called “slow motion revolution” has evolved in fits and starts, with mixed episodes of confusion, assertiveness, denial and drift.
Algeria: Cosmetic Change or Actual Reform?
Algeria has emerged as something of an “exception” across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and while the recent elections have been marred by widespread allegations of fraud, the results have effectively consolidated the regime’s grip on power thus ensuring its complete monopoly over the country’s reform process.
Religion and Politics in Egypt Today: Ideological Trends and Future Prospects
The dynamics of Muslim-Copt relations and how they are managed by the Church and the State are part and parcel of Egypt’s transition post-Mubarak because they underlie the discussions concerning Egypt’s future as a civil State. The treatment of Copts and other religious communities under a new government will be a key indicator of the maturity of Egypt’s democratic transition.
The Team
Our research fellows: Turkey/Middle East Program
Related research programs
Support independent French research
Ifri, a foundation recognized as being of public utility, relies largely on private donors – companies and individuals – to guarantee its sustainability and intellectual independence. Through their funding, donors help maintain the Institute's position among the world's leading think tanks. By benefiting from an internationally recognized network and expertise, donors refine their understanding of geopolitical risk and its consequences on global politics and the economy. In 2024, Ifri will support more than 70 French and foreign companies and organizations.