Drivers of Turkish Regional Policy Since 1990

Abstract

This paper aims to evaluate the most salient drivers of Turkish foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. It is divided into three main sections that, by paying attention to domestic and external foreign policy drivers, address Turkish foreign policy (TFP) during the 1990s, during the 2000s – particularly after the election of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) – and during the post-“Arab Spring” period, with a focus on the greater Middle East. Lastly, the concluding section draws some general conclusions regarding the relationship between the drivers of TFP during these three periods and comments on what might be in store for Turkey in the near future.