Leaders | Recep for trouble

Turkey could be on the brink of dictatorship

President Erdogan could tip his country over the edge

TURKEY HAS NATO’s second-biggest armed forces. It plays a crucial role in a turbulent neighbourhood, especially in war-scorched Syria. It exerts growing influence in the western Balkans, in the eastern Mediterranean and more recently in Africa. Above all, it is important in the Black Sea and in Russia’s war in Ukraine; last year it helped broker a deal to let more Ukrainian grain be shipped to a hungry world.

Explore more

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Turkey’s looming dictatorship”

From the January 21st 2023 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Leaders

A lighter engraved with "TAXES US. Department of state", symbolising financial burden

Despite fears of a global tax war, Donald Trump has a chance to make peace

A global minimum tax on companies ought to be acceptable to America

An employee works inside a nuclear facility in Isfahan, Iran

How to use “maximum pressure” to stop an Iranian bomb

The Islamic Republic is closer than ever to obtaining nukes


Milei, Modi, Trump: an anti-red-tape revolution is under way

Done right, deregulation could kick-start economic growth


By cutting off assistance to foreigners, America hurts itself

Donald Trump’s chaotic aid freeze makes his country weaker

The real meaning of the DeepSeek drama

The Chinese model-maker has panicked investors. But it is good for the users of AI

Rwanda does a Putin in Congo

To understand the seizure of Goma, consider a parallel with Ukraine