IntelBrief: One Hundred Years After its Founding, Türkiye is Both Pivotal and Problematic

Bottom Line Up Front

• One hundred years after its founding, Türkiye is pivotal to regional and global affairs, but the Islamist-oriented policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are often at odds with Türkiye’s NATO allies.
• Erdogan’s support for Hamas in the context of the ongoing Hamas-Israel war will expand existing fissures with Washington.
• While military involvement in Turkish politics has declined, Erdogan has become more authoritarian by shifting power from the legislature to his presidential office.
• Türkiye’s regional and global role is expanding through weapons sales, direct military action, and Erdogan’s attempts to mediate conflicts.