Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak
Israel Hayom, Mar. 20, 2025
“Erdogan’s secret to success has been his willingness to push Turkey beyond its borders, combining soft power with hard power.”
Erdogan aspires to elevate Turkey to the status of a global power, drawing on political Islam and neo-Ottoman ideologies. The recent arrest of his key political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, has revealed that the president’s neo-Ottoman vision is not limited to foreign policy but also serves as a tool for eliminating domestic political opponents.
Through overnight, baseless accusations, İmamoğlu was charged with organized crime. To make matters worse, his university degree – a prerequisite for running for the Turkish presidency – was revoked. In other words, Erdogan successfully carried out a “political assassination” to secure his grip on power. It is important to emphasize that he would not have been able to act so ruthlessly at home if he did not feel strong on the international stage. The Turkish leader is convinced that his external successes grant him the freedom to do as he pleases domestically.
While the world was shocked by the heated exchange in the Oval Office between the US president and his Ukrainian counterpart, Turkey proudly showcased a very different image: Erdogan holding an umbrella over Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s head in Ankara. This moment was not just a PR stunt portraying him as a strong leader offering protection to the “needy” but also became a symbol of “active and respectful Turkish diplomacy.”
Erdogan’s secret to success has been his willingness to push Turkey beyond its borders, combining soft power with hard power. In Africa, alongside establishing embassies and airline routes, Turkey provides military equipment and trains local armies. ….SOURCE