Limits of a competitive authoritarianism in security policies: interpreting Türkiye’s approach towards the EU

Middle powers are often states that support and follow democratic principles, demonstrating such atonement in the domestic and foreign policies. However, states that want to emerge in modern multipolarity prefer a more centralised approach, adopting an assertive behaviour against powers or international institutions that criticise alleged ?authoritarian governance?. Among these countries, T?rkiye as a middle power has manifested a growing assertive behaviour towards the European Union (EU) after the failed coup of 2016, capitalizing on such antagonism in the referendum of 2017 has allowed the Justice and Development Party, (Adalet ve Kalk?nma Partisi / AKP) to transform T?rkiye into a Presidential Republic. Nonetheless, such assertive behaviour in Turkish Foreign Policy (TFP) has not always corresponded to an open antagonism manifested in the domestic rhetoric. In particular, the polarisation of the AKP against the Europeanisation process moved by Turkish presidentialism has shown an inconstant evolution in the security policies. Hence, this article proposes to interpret Turkish presidentialism in its political polarisation and nationalism against the EU in the domestic and foreign policies after the presidential turn. The article contends that Ankara?s leadership, albeit it has evolved the country?s governance into a competitive authoritarian governance, the impact of its security policies towards the EU has not favoured an open assertiveness of Turkish behaviour as a middle power.