A post-Erdogan Turkey would only partly change its foreign policy
On Russia, Syria and the Kurds, the country’s interests would remain much the same
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s magic is not working. With less than three weeks until the elections, Turkey’s populist leader has made up little ground against Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the candidate of the main opposition alliance, in the presidential race. (Parliament will also be up for grabs.) Most polls give Mr Kilicdaroglu an edge in the first round on May 14th and see him winning a run-off two weeks later. Mr Erdogan is trying to regain popularity by dipping into the public purse. But he is also looking for help abroad, balancing, as he has done over the past decade, between NATO allies, Russia and other autocracies, all while flexing his muscles at home.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “No sharp tacks”
Europe April 29th 2023
- Ukraine’s top guns need new jets to win the war
- Ukrainians have grown used to living with curfews
- Spanish renewable-energy development is waking from its siesta
- A post-Erdogan Turkey would only partly change its foreign policy
- Romania’s hot economy is attracting foreign workers
- A spat over farming bodes ill for Ukraine’s future European prospects
More from Europe
A dispute over old war crimes strains Polish-Ukrainian relations
The beneficiary is Russia
Austria could soon have a first far-right leader since 1945
Herbert Kickl of the Freedom Party could be the next head of government
Europe has lots of lithium, but struggles to get it out of the ground
Its targets for strategic autonomy look hard to meet
Spain’s government marks 50 years since Franco died
Opponents say it is the birth of democracy that should be commemorated
How extremist politics became mainstream in France
Jean-Marie Le Pen paved the way for his daughter, Marine