Internal Subjective Determinants of Turkish Foreign Policy

The purpose of this article was to characterize selected subjective internal determinants affecting the foreign policy of the Republic of Turkey: the concept of foreign policy and the quality and activity of foreign service and diplomacy. The most important challenges that Ankara’s diplomacy was forced to address include the need for a clear statement on the side of one of the blocks fighting in World War II, reaching agreement with Greece, partially related to territorial disputes, arranging relations with the USA, Israel and Arab states, as well as conducting accession negotiations with NATO and the European Union. The assumption of power by the Justice and Development Party has started a new phase in Turkish foreign policy. The article indicates international initiatives undertaken by Turkish decision-makers after 2002, including the promotion of culture and language (Yunus Emre Institutes) and development assistance (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency).

Turkish foreign policy – internal objective determinants

The purpose of the article was to present selected conditions of the foreign policy of the Republic of Turkey, formulated on the basis of a scheme of factors shaping the foreign policy of the state, developed by R. Zięba. The analyzed group of determinants was limited to the objective internal conditions, therefore factors such as: the geographical environment of the state, potential of the population, economic potential and the socio-political system. Using the analysis of legal acts, reports of research institutes, statistical data and literature on the subject, the Author of the work showed the importance of the above-mentioned internal determinants on the shaping of directions of Turkish foreign policy.

President Erdoğan is a colorful figure on the international arena and his actions are multidirectional and multifaceted. Hence, the aim of the article is to analyze the tactics used by Erdoğan in foreign policy and to attempt a forecast for the years 2024–2040 regarding the position of Türkiye in the world. The following methods were used: deduction and prognostic. The period from 2020 to 2022 was analyzed, and the time perspective adopted for the forecast is the period between 2024–2040. The main conclusions of the considerations are as follows. Erdoğan’s phenomenon in foreign policy is that he has built a strong expansive dangerous assertive Türkiye with global diplomatic potential which, although it does not have absolute power, is powerful enough to limit the influence of countries and institutions stronger than itself (1). Erdoğan will have a chance to turn Türkiye into a global power, or at least a state with the strength of a global power, without which no significant decisions on a global scale will be possible (2).