Turkey's Erdogan Reshuffles Cabinet

- The new Justice Minister, Akin Gurlek, is the former chief public prosecutor of Istanbul who oversaw a series of arrests and indictments targeting the main opposition party (CHP). Critics and opposition leaders have called his appointment a "reward" for judicial operations against political opponents, including Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. - Mustafa Ciftci, the new Interior Minister, was the governor of Erzurum province. His appointment is seen by some political insiders as a strategic move to satisfy the conservative wing of the ruling AK Party. - No official reason was provided for the cabinet changes, though a government notice stated the outgoing ministers had "requested to be relieved" of their duties. This is the first cabinet reshuffle since the May 2023 general election. - The changes come as Turkey continues to grapple with significant economic challenges, including an economic crisis characterized by high inflation and currency devaluation. After the 2023 elections, the government began a shift toward more conventional economic policies, including significant interest rate hikes, to combat inflation. - Recovery from the February 2023 earthquakes remains a major challenge, with the disaster having caused an estimated $103.6 billion in damage. As of January 2026, more than 360,000 people were still living in temporary container housing. - The meeting between Turkish and Greek leaders in Ankara is part of a recent effort to improve relations. Key topics on the agenda include cooperation on migration, managing longstanding maritime boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea, and a goal to increase bilateral trade from $7 billion to $10 billion.