Gonul Tol

Gonul Tol is the founding director of the Middle East Institute’s Turkey program and author of Erdogan’s War: A Strongman’s Struggle at Home and in Syria.

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Articles by Gonul Tol
Supporters display a poster depicting the jailed leader of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on Feb. 27.
Supporters display a poster depicting the jailed leader of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on Feb. 27.

Don’t Trust Erdogan’s ‘Peace Process’ With the Kurds

Argument
Gonul Tol
People celebrate in front of a billboard showing Erdogan's face next to a campaign slogan in Turkish.
People celebrate in front of a billboard showing Erdogan's face next to a campaign slogan in Turkish.

Erdogan Won by Exploiting Fear

Analysis
Gonul Tol
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, Turkey, on March 29.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, Turkey, on March 29.

Yes, Erdogan’s Rule Might Actually End This Weekend

Analysis
Gonul Tol, Ali Yaycioglu
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a press conference at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 6, 2022.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a press conference at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 6, 2022.

Turkey’s Weak Strongman

Argument
Gonul Tol
People stand in front of a huge mound of rubble.
People stand in front of a huge mound of rubble.

How Corruption and Misrule Made Turkey’s Earthquake Deadlier This article has an audio recording

Argument
Gonul Tol
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech in Ankara on Sept. 5, 2019.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech in Ankara on Sept. 5, 2019.

Turkey’s Generation Z Turns Against Erdogan

Argument
Gonul Tol, Ayca Alemdaroglu
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Erdogan’s Syria frustrations

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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The PKK cease-fire and Syria’s Kurds

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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Turkey’s KRG energy partnership

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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Syria’s Kurdish challenge to Turkey

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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The Kurdish dimension to Turkey’s Syria policy

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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New hope for Turkey’s Kurds

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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Why Turkey is not turning Islamist

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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Turkey’s chance for reconciliation

The Middle East Channel
Gonul Tol
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