The fifth installment of the Edgerton Series on Iran and Turkey, featuring an evening reception and discussion with Dr. Henri Barkey, Director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) experienced a resounding victory during Turkey's general elections on November 1st. Some have argued that the elections were the result of a political system manipulated by Erdoğan to his advantage, which underscores the country's current economic and political fragility. Besides hosting more refugees than any country in the world, the renewed conflict with the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), the October 10 Ankara bombings purportedly carried out by ISIL have lent to the precarious position Turkey finds itself in. Tensions between Moscow and Ankara have also been rising in recent weeks, after Turkey admitted to shooting down a Russian warplane that it claims violated its airspace.

What will the AKP's consolidated power mean for Turkey's future? Is the country under serious threat from ISIL or increasing tensions with Russia? What are the regional and international dynamics to consider following Erdoğan’s resounding victory.

Featuring:

Dr. Henri Barkey, Director, Middle East Program, The Wilson Center

Dr. Henri J. Barkey is the Director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center. He is the former Bernard L. and Bertha F. Cohen Professor at Lehigh University. Read more.

Moderator:

Amb. Rockwell Schnabel, Chairman, The Sage Group, LLC; Former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and the European Union

Ambassador Rockwell Schnabel is a founder and Chairman of The Sage Group and a member of the Pacific Council's Board of Directors. He co-founded Trident Capital, a Palo Alto based venture capital firm and was also the former President of Bateman, Eichler, Hills, Richards, Inc. (Wells Fargo Bank). Read more.

The Edgerton Series on Iran and Turkey aims to provide proactive and forward-looking solutions to some of the most complex local, regional, and global issues facing both countries today, through regular engagement in debates and discussions with the foremost experts in Turkish and Iranian affairs. The Edgerton Series is made possible by generous support from the Edgerton Foundation. We thank Dr. Bradford and Ms. Louise Edgerton for their continued support of and dedication to the Pacific Council.