Turkey’s Post-coup Identity-based Foreign Policy Actions

It seems that explaining Turkey’s regional actions following the recent failed coup staged by part of the country’s military would not be possible without exploring identity-related developments in the country.

The rise, emergence and role played by three identity layers of Turkey, that is, Islamic, Turkish and European / Western layers, must be considered as the main driving force behind the country’s domestic and foreign policies. The Islamic identity layer has been an important factor in bringing Turkey close to Islamic countries and in forming Turkey’s friendship and hostility patterns with regard to other Islamic states, especially following political developments, which have been come to be known collectively as the Arab Spring. The European / Western identity layer of Turkey has been playing an important role in Europeanization of Turkey within framework of the European Union and has also cemented this country’s ties with Western security and military institutions. The Turkish identity layer of Turkey has been, for its part, a major factor in constantly drawing Turkey’s attention to Turkish speaking countries in Central Asia and Caucasus and has also helped Ankara to maintain a certain level of interaction with Moscow.