Cumhuriyet is rated Left-Center with Mostly Factual factual reporting by Media Bias Fact Check.
LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate Cumhuriyet Left-Center biased based on a secular, social-democratic editorial line and story selection that consistently opposes Turkey’s governing AKP. We rate it Mostly Factual for reporting, as articles are generally well-sourced; they use news agencies such as Ihlas Haber Ajansi, Anka Haber Ajansi, with no significant pattern of failed fact checks, but its political coverage is markedly one-sided.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-4.8)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (3.6)
Country: Turkey
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: LIMITED FREEDOM
Media Type: Newspaper
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
History
Cumhuriyet was founded on 7 May 1924 by journalist Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu. It is one of Turkey’s oldest secular daily newspapers and has traditionally aligned with Kemalist principles such as republicanism, secularism, and modernization.
The paper has frequently clashed with government authorities and is widely viewed as an opposition‑leaning outlet. Several Cumhuriyet journalists have been killed since the late 1970s, and staff members faced prosecution after the 2016 coup attempt; former editor‑in‑chief Can Dündar later went into exile. A 2018 leadership change at its parent foundation led to resignations and a shift toward a more nationalist‑Kemalist editorial stance.
Read our profile on Turkey’s government’s influence on media.
Funded by / Ownership
Cumhuriyet is owned by the Cumhuriyet Foundation (Cumhuriyet Vakfı) rather than by a commercial media conglomerate, a structure that distinguishes it from much of Turkey’s national press, roughly 90% of which RSF assesses to be under direct or indirect government control. Revenue derives from circulation, subscriptions, and advertising.
Analysis / Bias
Cumhuriyet is a secular, Kemalist, and social-democratic newspaper. It opposes Turkey’s governing AKP. Story selection and wording favor the secular opposition. Government viewpoints get little space.
For example, they use loaded language in their headlines, such as “Kalplerimize kayyım atayacak halleri yok.” The story is told only from the CHP’s side. It quotes one source, CHP official Murat Aydın, through the ANKA news agency. There is no government response.
In this opinion piece, “Çare yurtsever, devrimci ve laik cumhuriyetçilerin birliğidir!” (The remedy is the unity of patriotic, revolutionary, and secular republicans), the writer calls for a “left-Kemalist” and “secular revolutionary” front against the government. The article only quotes like-minded secular groups, such as ÇYDD, the Atatürkist Thought Association, and CUMOK.
Cumhuriyet features regular columnists who are consistently critical of the right-leaning ruling party (AKP), such as Emre Kongar, Özdemir İnce, and Zülal Kalkandelen. The paper also publishes opinion pieces with anti-Erdoğan framing, such as “Erdoğan couldn’t get enough of praising Trump” and “Gözaltılar var: Bilgi Üniversitesi’ndeki eyleme polis ablukası”.
Editorially, Cumhuriyet supports the secular opposition and Kemalist causes. They source credible media and use the ANKA agency for news. In general, story selection and editorial bias favor the left.
Failed Fact Checks
- None to date
Overall, we rate Cumhuriyet Left-Center biased based on a secular, social-democratic editorial line and story selection that consistently opposes Turkey’s governing AKP. We rate it Mostly Factual for reporting, as articles are generally well-sourced; they use news agencies such as Ihlas Haber Ajansi, Anka Haber Ajansi, with no significant pattern of failed fact checks, but its political coverage is markedly one-sided. (M. Huitsing 05/24/2026)
Source: https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/
Last Updated on May 24, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check
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