Turkey: A Global Swing State

Turkey is a global 'swing state.' It has a large and growing economy, a strategic location, a democratic government, and mixed views about prevailing international arrangements. Like the other three global swing states — Brazil, India, and Indonesia — Turkey’s choices will influence whether today’s international order evolves and endures or fragments and fails. In the United States, it is time to move beyond simplistic debates and reframe Turkey as one of a handful of democratic rising powers that matter most. Turkey’s emergence translates into an even stronger case for its European Union membership. Now is the time to draw closer to a shared vision with Ankara of the future global order, and of Turkey — and the West’s — place within it.