Turkey under a war-preparation regime
By Christos Konstantinidis
On October 16, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed Presidential Decree No. 3146, published in the Official Gazette (Resmi Gazete), establishing Departments of War Planning and Emergency Response in every ministry.
According to the decree, the goal is to strengthen state coordination in matters of war, crisis management, civil defense, mobilization, and population protection in emergencies.
Civilian training under wartime conditions
Retired Lieutenant General Lazaros Kampouridis, a former Greek defense attaché in Ankara and close observer of Turkish developments, notes that Turkey is now entering a general state of war readiness, with centrally coordinated actions to bolster national defense, internal security, and civil protection.
The Turkish Ministry of National Education has activated a new “Risk Reduction Strategy”, under which, during the 2025–2026 school year, students and their parents will receive training on responding to wartime and emergency scenarios—part of a broader militarization of Turkish society.
Construction of shelters and food depots
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Turkey is proceeding with the construction of large food storage facilities nationwide, while simultaneously implementing an ambitious plan to build 83,500 bomb shelters across the country’s 81 provinces.
The state housing agency TOKİ has been instructed by Erdoğan himself to complete construction within 120 days, revealing the urgent nature of the plan.
Meanwhile, Ankara is moving to reintegrate military hospitals into the Turkish Armed Forces, reversing the 2016 post-coup decision that placed them under the civilian health system.
Strengthening the war economy
According to Clash Report, the Turkish government is implementing a drastic increase in the 2026 defense budget.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz announced that the state will allocate 2.155 trillion Turkish lira (approximately €44 billion) for defense and internal security—11.4% of the total state budget. Total expenditures for 2026 will exceed €388 billion.
Of this amount, €24.6 billion will go to the Ministry of Defense and procurement programs, while €19.4 billion will fund law enforcement (police, gendarmerie, coast guard). The defense budget represents a 34% increase over 2025—the largest rise in the past decade.
Priorities: drones, missiles, Syria–Iraq operations
Ankara justifies the spending boom as necessary for expanding drone and missile programs and maintaining ongoing military operations in northern Syria and Iraq.
“Defense spending will remain a top priority, supporting both ongoing operations and modernization initiatives,” said Yılmaz, confirming the government’s strategic orientation toward permanent military readiness.
“Encirclement syndrome” and strategic obsession
Turkish analysts interpret this wave of military preparation as a reaction to a wider sense of insecurity. Particular reference is made to the “Greece–Cyprus–Israel triangle”, which, according to Turkish sources, reinforces Ankara’s perception of encirclement and external threat.
Budgetary balance and national priorities
For 2026, education spending will total €60 billion, ranking first among all sectors, with defense in second place, followed by health and social welfare.
At the same time, Ankara plans to leverage additional financing tools such as the Defense Industry Support Fund to further boost procurement programs.
Toward a militarized state of mind
The events of recent weeks — the Presidential Decree, the militarization of education, the food stockpiles, the construction of shelters, and the budget escalation — collectively outline a picture of a Turkey systematically preparing for crisis or potential armed confrontation.
The war psychology has now become institutionalized within the state apparatus, as Erdoğan’s regime reintroduces elements of “total mobilization” — not only in the armed forces but across Turkish society.
