Elections are an indispensable element of democracy. Every election renews the cells of the democratic system. It enables new opportunities and introduces additional and better conditions. But elections also have some side effects for democracies. Without the correct system in place, it might lead to instability. In such a case, one can neither rule the country nor foresee even the near future. The country becomes unstable and the rule of law is undermined. Even in stable countries, one of the side effects of an election is a certain element of introversion. Three months before the elections, one's contact with the outside world is cut off and the agenda consists solely of the upcoming elections.

With the June 7 general elections quickly approaching, Turkey's agenda is also not focusing on the regional developments that would ordinarily concern the country. Even the attack on a Turkish-flagged cargo ship off the Libyan coast has not received the coverage by newspapers it deserves. But balances are swiftly changing, particularly in the Middle East. There are many international rumors swirling about. Let's start with Syria. The failure experienced in the field has demoralized Syrian President Bashar Assad's military. It is fighting against Iran and Hezbollah. The tension created by this disturbance has even reached the palace. The Syrian military and intelligence chief, Rustum Ghazaleh, a figure close to Assad, was killed as a result. The director of the Syrian National Security Bureau, Ali Mamlouk, who caused the same disturbance, was placed under house arrest for contacting Turkish intelligence. As the Assad regime fails in the field, domestic tensions increase even more, and paranoia grows parallel to the level of failure. The protectors of the regime are suspicious of each other. None of them are safe anymore.

The situations in Moscow and Tehran are also chaotic. Moscow took a back seat upon the changing balance in Syria, while Iran and Hezbollah stood out as more prominent figures in the field. Moscow is calculating ways to recover from the loss. It is trying to abstain from giving the impression of being the force maintaining Assad in power in order to protect its acquisitions when a new government comes to power in Damascus. With a quick U-turn, Russia may exclude itself from the game. But it is undeniable that Iran has already entered a no-exit zone. Therefore, half of the cost would be paid by Assad while the other half would be paid by Iran and Hezbollah when the Syrian civil war is over. It must also be noted that Tehran has started to question how far this order can last.The position of the U.S. is also miserable. It has become stuck between the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and Assad. It could not even form a transparent agreement on the subject of training and equipping the Syrian opposition. The U.S. backs up the opposition positioned in southern Syria. A train-and-equip program was initiated in Jordan for members of the opposition, but the project in Turkey was hampered by the U.S.'s indecision. U.S. authorities underline on all occasions that this program will be implemented with Turkey. However, it is widely known that the U.S. has cut nearly all support to the opposition in northern Syria. The U.S. does not support any group that will not be loyal to it, or will not be controlled by it. This reluctance displayed by the U.S. is the reason why the Syrian civil war still goes on.Let's turn to the Gulf countries. Fortunately, there is Saudi Arabia. Turkey is now reconciling with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries after their relationship breakdown following the Egyptian coup. This is crucial in terms of the future of the region. It is alleged that Riyadh put aside its phobia of the Muslim Brotherhood when the threat from Tehran pressed on its borders. The influence of this is also seen in Syria. Turkey's military relations with Qatar are also significant. It is certain that the military relations developed with Qatar, one of the leading Gulf countries, worries Tehran. The last note from the Gulf comes from the United Arab Emirates. There is no problem between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates except for Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi displays a hostile attitude toward Turkey on international platforms. Everyone is aware of this negative attitude. An authority said: "When we mention Abu Dhabi to our addressees, they smile suggestively."

I would like to end my article by pointing out that the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, Masoud Barzani, has become a popular actor in high demand. Barzani maintains positive relations with Turkey. Therefore, the U.S. might have attempted to balance relations by hosting Barzani in Washington last week. Iran, on the other hand, seems to have lost all its diplomatic skills since it has been engaging in a field war for a long time. Instead of persuading Barzani, it tries to unseat him. Barzani is situated in the middle of a difficult equation, but he stands in the right position since hard winds are blowing in the region.