Turkey's prospects in 2021
CGTN
Will 2021 be a year of reckoning for Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan? The last few months have seen a number of developments both at the regional and domestic level, which could check Erdogan's assertiveness. They include differences with the global hegemon, the U.S., as well as other players in the region like the UAE, Russia, France and Greece. Domestically, there are challenges coming from both rivals and supporters, against a deteriorating economy and health situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Externally, relations between Turkey and the U.S. may be about to get a lot tougher. Erdogan has had a good personal relationship with the outgoing American president, Donald Trump. But on January 20 he will be replaced by Joe Biden. Biden is expected to be much cooler with Erdogan than Trump was, but the transition only explains part of the story. There are tensions which go beyond personality and which will present difficulties regardless of who is in charge.
