The heavy and qualitative presence of foreign leaders participating in the inauguration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted the multifaceted nature of Turkish foreign policy and its ability to focus at the same time on many global issues.
The presence of representatives of a large number of countries confirms the effectiveness of Turkish policy and successful global diplomacy over more than two decades.
Murat Yeşıl Taş, who prepared the report, described the attendees as about 100 foreign guests from 81 countries, including 50 heads of state and government. The ceremony provided clues to Turkey's foreign policy past and future, not just in domestic political terms.
A Call for Social Reconciliation
Taş believes that Erdogan's messages should be carefully viewed in the domestic context, noting that the most important topic was the president's call for "brotherhood" that includes 85 million citizens, saying that this approach is one of the important references for Erdogan's thought and political practices. However, the contradictory nature of the tense electoral conditions and atmosphere that Turkey has experienced in recent years has replaced competition with this discourse.
He said that the important message that Erdogan is currently sending is that the Turkish people have finished the election process and entered a new period, so we must focus on the future and put conflict and competition aside.
Taş described this call as a new call for social reconciliation, saying, of course, this reconciliation must not be unilateral but must be reciprocal, especially since the atmosphere of the elections divided Turkey into two opposing segments and that the complex problems facing Turkey and international conditions require quickly moving away from the practice of polarization and building a new consensual language in the present.
Centuries-old historical mosaic
The ceremonies have created a new political tradition and practice. With the exception of 2018, the inauguration process was previously limited to the legal and procedural aspect such as the parliamentary oath, the visit to the Ataturk mausoleum and the receptions held in the palace, but Erdogan has now established a new political framework for this procedural and legal process that sets standards for the reconstruction and reminder of traditions, as well as to define standards for the upcoming ceremonies to begin the service.
As such, it was no coincidence that those who accompanied the president when he was addressing the audience represented Turkey's mosaic civilization and culture centuries ago. When he called for fraternity, Erdogan spoke with his centuries-old historical heritage.
A real diplomatic network
Turkey's growing geopolitical and foreign policy and depth has taken on a global dimension in recent years. Above all, the number of participants demonstrates the structural capacity of Turkey's multilateral foreign policy and its ability to focus simultaneously on many global issues.
The presence of leaders from Latin America, Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe indicates the strength of the global diplomatic network that Turkey has built over the past 21 years.
The African initiative, implemented in 2005, was not only an economy-based initiative as understood by the ceremony, but also an initiative that attempted to establish ties between Turkey and Africa beyond the arcs of colonial practices on the continent.
Features of a new policy
Taş stressed that Turkey has effectively introduced the contours of a new policy that challenges the colonial image, increasing the number of its friends, becoming present in more areas, and proving that it is not a transcendent country that looks at Africa from above, but on an equal footing, and that the wide African participation in the ceremony clearly reflects this.
Part of President Erdogan's inauguration (Reuters)
Erdogan held talks with every head of state, which made him loved and gave Turkey's humanitarian foreign policy high esteem, he said, noting that Turkey and Erdogan are always at the forefront when it comes to conflict resolution, relief aid and facilitating the transmission of Africa's voice to the global community. He was the most visited leader of Africa, and likewise, Africa did not leave the President alone and became the continent that provided the most representation at the inauguration.
The impact of "Maduro" symbol of resistance
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's presence at the inauguration cemented Turkey's image in the Latin world, because Maduro symbolizes resistance against U.S. hegemony and is among the leaders who openly supported Turkey on the night of the July 15 coup.
On the other hand, Taş points out that the presence of Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan, based on what has happened since 2020, is really an important step that will contribute to the consolidation of regional peace, and in the coming period, one of the important processes of Turkish foreign policy will be normalization between Turkey and Armenia.
There have been important figures from Europe including heads of state and government and the secretary general of NATO, however, it is too early to say that the agreement between Turkey and Europe will form quickly, but the congratulations that have arrived on the occasion of Erdogan's victory promote hope for this agreement.
Taş concluded his report by saying that the inauguration ceremony sheds light on Turkey's near future, both internally and externally.