Washington's move to pressure Turkey on the S-400 deal by talking about its NATO membership is not only a serious mistake but also damaging NATO itself

Although the recount of some ballots in Istanbul is ongoing, analysts have started to discuss the outcome of the local elections that took place in Turkey on Sunday. It will be hard to summarize the potential outcomes of the elections and their meaning but here are some critical points.

Turkish politics may move toward a more predictable path if the temperament of permanent crisis management ends and all the political actors behave more responsibly

The government sees the post-election years as an opportunity to follow a more proactive foreign policy and implement structural reforms in the economy

Turkey will hold municipal elections tomorrow. The People's Alliance and the Nation Alliance have worked very hard to win over undecided voters and maximize turnout.

If the People's Alliance succeeds in the elections, the AK Party and the MHP may deepen their ties and continue to institutionalize the new political system, buoyed by this enthusiasm

U.S. President Donald Trump took yet another step to legitimize Israeli expansionism after recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital last year. 'After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the state of Israel and regional stability', Trump tweeted. Governments around the world reacted harshly to that decision.

The horrific terror attack in New Zealand led to the death of 50 Muslims in two separate mosques in the city of Christchurch – the Al Noor and Linwood mosques.

The final two weeks of any election campaign fuels the momentum that settles the score. Leaders and candidates, therefore, put their best foot forward in the final days before the election. Turkey finds itself at that very spot now. The municipal election is just 10 days away.

The terrorist attack in New Zealand against Muslims was the deadliest attack in the country's history.

The killing of 49 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand was a terrorist act of critical importance. One of the terrorists, Australian Brenton Tarrant, broadcast the massacre live on social media after posting an 87-page manifesto online.

As expected, the municipal election campaign in Turkey has ended up bogged down in national issues.

It has been awhile since political parties in Turkey began preparations for the upcoming local elections. Indeed, they had already been focusing on implementing a new approach to broaden their appeal before the snap election decision.

The United States mounts pressure on Turkey over its decision to purchase the S-400 air defense system from Russia. The Turks already told Washington that the S-400 purchase was a done deal, yet U.S. officials keep trying.

As Turkey inches toward the municipal elections, the "national survival" debate is deepening with new wars of words between competing definitions of nationalism.

Ahead of this month's municipal elections, the main ideological debate in Turkey revolves around the question of national survival.

Though bloodless, coup against conservative government in Turkey on Feb. 28, 1997 still painful to remember