During his 21 consecutive years in power Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has proven many of his critics, and Turkish opinion polls wrong. Once again he has won a decisive victory in the country’s presidential elections. In the end, Turks cast their votes for stability, despite a considerable number of western analysts expecting the opposite outcome earlier this year.
Now, what does that mean for Turkish-British bilateral relations?
It’s no secret that Europe’s security starts at Turkey’s borders. Various regional conflicts – such as Iraq, and Syria – have proven this to be the case. After the unprecedented refugee crises over the last decade, western countries bitterly realised that without cooperating with Ankara, controlling massive migration waves and security issues is not possible.
Despite various serious crises with the US and Germany, London has enjoyed relatively calm relations with Ankara, especially after Brexit. After the Ukraine war, Britain began to see Turkey as an even more valuable partner.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in