The Man Behind Erdogan’s Worst Spat With the West

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is leading Turkey toward its biggest showdown with key Western allies since he assumed power two decades ago. At the heart of the row is a joint call on Turkey by ambassadors from 10 countries -- including the U.S. and Germany -- to free Osman Kavala, a 65-year-old businessman and philanthropist sent to jail four years ago, when Erdogan’s allies began accusing him of conspiring to overthrow the president. Kavala denies the accusations. Erdogan says the call for his release is an attack on Turkish sovereignty. The added strain on already tense ties with Western partners is likely to spur more volatility in the lira, which could push inflation even higher than its current level of around 20%.

Kavala was 25 years old and pursuing a Ph.D. at the New School in New York in 1982 when his father died, leading him to relocate to Turkey and take over the family business. Under his watch, the Kavala group of companies were active in electronics and telecommunications for the following two decades, importing everything from Commodore 64 computers to mobile phones into Turkey. In the wake of a 1999 earthquake that badly affected Istanbul, Kavala took a back seat in corporate management and began founding non-governmental organizations. According to 2019 court testimony, his NGO activities were aimed at restoring dialogue and harmony in Turkish society and strengthening Turkey’s democracy and its integration with the European Union.