Geopolitics of Turkey/Türkiye and the role of its army in the 21st century

ABSTRACT: The importance of the army and the military institution in Turkey/Türkiye historically takes on a singular dimension, both during the Republican era and during the period of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, Turkey/Türkiye, due to its geographical location, is a country at the articulation of several geographical and geopolitical areas: the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. We will consider how, over the last two decades, significant developments have occurred within the Turkish army since the beginning of the 21st century. Thus, on the one hand, in 2003, what was considered as a form of demilitarization of institutions was implemented by promoting the growth of civilian powers in the chain of command. On the other hand, the role of the Turkish army has evolved, particularly with regard to Turkey’s geopolitics in recent decades. Indeed, the geopolitical and geo-economic crises which are shaking these vast spaces have led Turkey to adopt a more assertive policy on the regional scene as well as on the international scene.