A Transformed Turkey: What is the Role for Ankara as a Regional Power?

Over the course of a decade, Turkey has transformed itself from a status quo-oriented, peripheral member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to an emerging power with an ambition to shape regional power dynamics. This transformation was accomplished in two phases. In the first phase, backed by its impressive economic performance, Turkey emerged as an influential regional actor, prioritizing its soft power. The second, ongoing phase was prompted by the Arab Spring and Turkey’s need to respond to these changes. This paper examines the drivers of both transformation phases and evaluates the consequences for Turkey’s relations with its neighbors.