Turbulent Times in the Eastern Mediterranean: The Struggle for Power

In recent years, the eastern Mediterranean has been characterized by instability and intense competition among states and nonstate actors. This is mainly because of the Syrian crisis, the terrorist activity of the Islamic State in Syria, the competition over energy sources, the tensions in Turkey-Israel relations, and the unresolved Cyprus problem. In an attempt to analyze and explain these reasons, the essay concludes with assumptions on how stability and security in the eastern Mediterranean might emerge. This analysis, based on the theoretical background of political realism as a theory of international relations, focuses on the strategy of states involved in the regional developments, as well as on the effects of other nonstate actors.