Recently, especially after the regime change in Syria, many domestic and foreign observers have sought to understand Türkiye’s rising role in regional politics. Many observers and politicians have praised Türkiye’s constructive policies in resolving a number of regional crises. One of the main reasons for this influence is Türkiye’s growing state capacity in recent years, which has undergone significant changes. Today, I will briefly list and evaluate some of the factors that have led to this change.
The first and most important factor is strong leadership. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s charismatic personality, strong leadership and diplomatic genius play an effective role in increasing Türkiye’s regional and international influence. In today's global politics, Erdoğan is among the most experienced leaders. As a leader who developed close personal relationships with numerous world leaders, he is often cited as a key figure in summit diplomacy. His close relations with the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. President Donald Trump facilitated Ankara’s relations with these two global powers.
The second factor is Erdoğan’s leadership team, which comprises many qualified politicians and bureaucrats, active in various political, economic and technical fields. For example, statesmen such as Hakan Fidan, minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ibrahim Kalın, the head of the Turkish intelligence agency, play influential roles in resolving regional crises. Similarly, Murat Kurum, minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, has played a significant role in the reconstruction of the country’s earthquake-affected regions. Possessing one of the largest diplomatic corps, Türkiye has recently expanded its diplomatic activities.
The strong and deterrent Turkish army is another element. Türkiye possesses one of the strongest armies in the world and is the second largest within the NATO alliance. With a military-dominated political culture, Türkiye has a deterrent power against potential threats. The Turkish armed forces have extensive field experience thanks to their fight against terrorism. Having fought terrorist networks in rural and urban areas for decades, they are among the most experienced in the world.
In addition to this, Türkiye has emerged as one of the influential arms exporters in the world market by developing high-tech weapons and ammunition. It holds a dominant position, particularly in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market. Furthermore, Türkiye has become almost self-sufficient in the defense industry, which has emerged as a prerequisite for enhancing its strategic autonomy. At this stage, Türkiye both manufactures the weapons it requires and supplies weapons and ammunition to its allies.
A strong and resilient economic infrastructure is also a critical part of Türkiye's influence. The Turkish economy, one of the fastest-growing economies among OECD countries, is one of the world’s largest economies and highly resilient to crises. Since 2025, the Turkish economy is the 16th largest in the world and the seventh largest in Europe in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP). According to Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Türkiye is the 11th largest economy in the world and the fourth largest in Europe in terms of purchasing power parity, after surpassing Italy. As of the third quarter of 2025, the annualized size of GDP in dollar terms has risen to $1.538 trillion.
Another significant determinant is the inclusive foreign policy discourse. Ankara, in principle, does not alienate any country in its region. On the contrary, it attaches great importance to direct diplomatic engagements. Without abandoning the moral dimension of its foreign relations, it strives to improve relations with all regional and international actors. Within this context, it is trying to reinforce its balanced approach in its relations with global powers, without harming its NATO membership.
The last factor is the historical legacy of the Turkish state. Türkiye has no colonial past. It has never attempted to exploit the resources of other lands. Ankara views the territories the Ottoman Empire once controlled with love and reverence. Therefore, unlike traditional Western colonial powers, Türkiye prioritizes a win-win strategy in its relations with all countries and the political and economic stability of its partners. In other words, Türkiye inspires confidence in the countries with which it cooperates.
All in all, Türkiye has become a leading regional power, a game changer in regional issues, and an effective global player. It is clear that Türkiye, as a state aiming for regional and global stability, is both investing in the consolidation of the international system and preparing for the total collapse of the global order. Therefore, Türkiye will continue to remain at the center of regional politics in the long term.
