Mark LowenVerified account

@marklowen

BBC Turkey Correspondent. Previously based in Athens and Belgrade. All views my own.

Istanbul and beyond
Joined December 2010
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  1. 17 hours ago

    I'm going to make an early bet: that will be to this election what the was to the referendum. Fasten your seatbelts in Athens. It could be a stormy ride.

    16 replies 68 retweets 141 likes
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  2. 17 hours ago

    And, as if by magic, the stars are aligned

    State of emergency in Turkey extended for seventh time …
    9 retweets 16 likes
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  3. 18 hours ago

    Turns out there was a national university exam planned for 24th June, which has now had to be postponed because of that clearly urgent need to rush to an election on the same date. Ah well, it's only education.

    3 replies 11 retweets 27 likes
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  4. 19 hours ago

    There's debate over whether 's can even run. Under electoral rules, party can only take part in election 6 months after its first general congress. 24 June is before that - but she'll argue debut congress was in December. No chance she'll refuse to run.

    4 replies 13 retweets 17 likes
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  5. 19 hours ago

    Either way, this was a carefully choreographed 24 hours. Wheel out the coalition buddy to raise the idea of early elections after government ruled it out (inconceivable that it wasn't cleared with Erdogan first), claim it needs discussion and then magically confirm it

    2 replies 10 retweets 20 likes
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  6. 19 hours ago

    Critics would say this catches the opposition off guard, nips any growth in the bud and preempts an economic crash that many are forecasting. Erdogan supporters say it brings needed clarity after presidential referendum last year. Pick your side.

    2 replies 11 retweets 15 likes
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  7. 19 hours ago

    So yesterday, said he was "sad" at 's idea of early elections on 26 August and said it gave importance to elections being held on time. Today, the President made it even 2 months earlier than that. The sadness didn't last long.

    4 replies 65 retweets 69 likes
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  8. Retweeted
    19 hours ago

    President Erdogan just announced that the govn agrees to hold snap elections on 24 June 2018

    4 replies 65 retweets 16 likes
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  9. 23 hours ago

    Interesting piece by on the growing numbers of religious Turks losing their faith, reacting against political and how it's been used by the , and turning towards deism

    2 replies 17 retweets 22 likes
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  10. 23 hours ago

    "Our children don't belong in prison, they belong in university". on how an anti-war stance accepted in any democracy lands you in jail in the bellicose ultranationalism of today's

    Turkey's anti-war protesters detained: "Everything is a crime. Everyone is a terrorist. Demanding peace is a crime. Saying no to death is a crime" My piece on …
    1 reply 28 retweets 25 likes
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  11. Apr 17

    Ramping up further...

    Turkish fighter jets harass Tsipras's helicopter
    5 retweets 4 likes
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  12. Apr 17

    No surprise in progress report on , concluding it's taken "huge strides" backwards in rule of law and fundamental rights. And also no surprise in reaction from Ankara, which says EU has treated Turkey "unfairly and unjustly".

    3 replies 52 retweets 48 likes
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  13. Retweeted
    Apr 17

    Turkey’s national security council has extended emergency law for another three months - for the 7th time.

    1 reply 57 retweets 25 likes
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  14. Retweeted
    Apr 17

    Austria's chancellor is being ridiculed after his party's social media team doctored a photo to "replace" a picture in the background of an Asian woman smoking what looks like a reefer with a nice safe country scene

    22 replies 264 retweets 466 likes
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  15. Apr 17

    leader , now in coalition with 's AKP, says early presidential and parliamentary elections should be held on 26 August. Is this the firing gun? Or has he gone off message?

    1 reply 12 retweets 8 likes
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  16. Apr 16

    Trial begins of , an American pastor charged with allegedly aiding & . Lawyer says he was arrested for his faith. suggested his fate tied to Gulen: "You have a preacher too", he said to US. "Give him to us, we'll try [Brunson] and give him back"

    1 reply 29 retweets 11 likes
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  17. Retweeted
    Apr 16

    Back in 2016 when many Kurdish towns were under curfew and clashes were taking place between militia and govn forces, Ayşe called a tv talk show to say “Do not let children die!” This week she and her 6 months old baby are going to jail, as she’s charged w/ terror propaganda

    'Çocuklar ölmesin' diyen Ayşe Öğretmen, bebeğiyle birlikte hapse giriyor
    14 replies 201 retweets 156 likes
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  18. Apr 16

    Important and touching article by on the challenges - and opportunities - of covering the Middle East as an journalist.

    3 retweets 11 likes
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  19. Apr 14

    Those two cursed final words...

    A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!
    1 reply 5 retweets 21 likes
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  20. Retweeted
    Apr 14

    Damascus is shrugging off the US strikes, which turned out to be more limited than feared. People are dancing in the streets, waving Assad’s portrait & saying Trump has failed. With

    280 replies 1,963 retweets 1,748 likes
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