In recent years, Turkey has undergone significant changes under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has tightened his grip on power and centralized state control. While the official justification for these measures is to combat corruption, in practice, anti-corruption and state institutions are increasingly used against political opponents, businesses, and independent media.
The first major episode took place in 2013, when police raided several of Erdoğan’s ministers, seizing millions in cash and detaining over fifty people. However, those leading the investigation were dismissed, and no ministers were ever prosecuted. Later, state mechanisms were actively used to seize assets from opposition-linked businesses and media outlets.
The Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) plays a key role in this process. After 2016, it became a main state tool for managing confiscated companies and assets. Court decisions are often based on allegations of links to terrorism or corruption. Over the years, hundreds of companies in key industries—including energy, media, finance, and even football clubs—have come under state control via the TMSF.
Anti-corruption rhetoric is also used against opposition politicians. Following the opposition Republican People’s Party’s historic victory in the 2024 local elections, more than a dozen mayors in major cities were arrested, removed, or prosecuted. Trials were accompanied by public accusations of corruption, but the verdicts triggered criticism both in Turkey and internationally.
Notable examples of pressure on the largest media holdings include huge fines, criminal investigations, and favorable state credit to transfer key assets to pro-presidential figures. At the same time, systemic anti-corruption within the government itself appears only nominal. Critics note that state corruption is often ignored unless it involves political opponents.
Thus, under Erdoğan’s rule, the fight against corruption in Turkey has become one of the main tools for political control of business, media, and the opposition. This has led to increased state influence, more repression, and the weakening of the independence of key institutions.
