Turkey was once considered by the West to be a positive force in a turbulent part of the world. Just a few years ago, it provided a model for the Middle East with its secular and modern outlook, parliamentary democracy and rapidly developing liberal economy.

It failed, however, to live up to these expectations. It has also failed to produce a positive and proactive foreign policy that complements its strategic importance. Turkey is currently at odds on key regional issues with almost all of the major stakeholders, starting with the United States, Russia and Europe.

It also has tense relations with key regional players such as Iran and Egypt, while Jordan looks upon it with suspicion. Ankara’s seemingly good ties with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, on the other hand, are not sufficient to give it the clout needed for a proactive contribution to regional developments. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s one-dimensional and generally abrasive approach to foreign policy has left Ankara rowing against strong currents it has no ability to chart on its own.

Erdogan’s approach is perhaps favored by his domestic support base, but this has done little to enhance Turkey’s influence abroad. As a diplomat noted recently during a private conversation, there seems to be a “reverse correlation” between Erdogan's getting stronger at home and Turkey's becoming weaker internationally.