Introduction: A Fresh Perspective on Foreign Policy*
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been ruling Türkiye for the last two decades, made a very important statement at the unveiling ceremony of the Century of Türkiye program in Ankara on October 28, 2022.1 Although some observers viewed that document as part of his campaign strategy, the truth is that the Century of Türkiye vision identifies the Turkish Republic’s long-term objectives and charts the future course of Turkish foreign policy.2 Meanwhile, other commentators argued that Erdoğan’s address represented a “call to finish building a great and mighty Türkiye together.”3
A skillful politician vis-à-vis the development of new projects, President Erdoğan set a number of targets for the 21st century, which he described as the Century of Türkiye. Having previously set ambitious targets for 2023, 2053, and 2071, he most recently identified Türkiye’s objectives and expectations within the context of its efforts to become a global power. It is important to note that 2053 will mark the 600th anniversary of the conquest of İstanbul, which destroyed the Byzantine Empire and transformed the Ottomans into a truly powerful state, whereas 2071 will be the 1000th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert which Muslim Turks won to be able to call Anatolia their homeland.
It is possible to summarize President Erdoğan’s address, which he delivered on the eve of the end of the Turkish Republic’s first century (1923-2023), in three parts. The first part of his speech dealt with the AK Party’s past efforts to address the Turkish political system’s deadlocks and shortcomings. Specifically, Erdoğan recalled that Türkiye had encountered various domestic and foreign threats in the 20th century, which his governments successfully neutralized. The Turkish President devoted the second part of his address to Türkiye’s achievements under the AK Party governments and provided a detailed account of reforms enacted in various fields. At the same time, he described the previous two decades as a period when the Republic addressed its shortcomings and completed its preparations for its second century.
The third part, in turn, was about President Erdoğan outlining Türkiye’s vision for the 21st century and identifying its future goals. Noting that “We added character to our foreign policy to make our state more powerful, our flag more glorious and our nation more respected,” he made the case that Türkiye had become a country that others follow, as opposed to a country following others.4 Furthermore, Erdoğan reiterated his commitment to making Türkiye one of the world’s top ten nations in politics, economy, technology, military, and diplomacy. He also shared his views on the global system to argue that the Century of Türkiye represents a revolutionary change that would bring democracy, development, peace, and welfare to the entire planet. Accordingly, the Turkish leader stated that his administration would prioritize international principles and take into account multilateral considerations as opposed to just Türkiye’s interests: “We share with humanity the news that the Century of Türkiye represents a revolution that shall bring democracy, development, peace, and welfare to all parts of the world –starting with our country and our region.”5 That sentence was an expression of the plan to build the Türkiye Axis…
Read more on Insight Turkey: The Century of Türkiye: A New Foreign Policy Vision for Building the Türkiye Axis
