Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) elite weren't the only ones ecstatic with the party’s 49% victory in the Nov. 1 elections. Some foreign elements also were captivated by the result: AKP's revival as a strong, single-party ruler that could also lead Turkey to a presidential ruling system.
Among the most pleased are the "moderate jihadis" of Syria who are fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and the Islamic State (IS). As I stressed in an Al-Monitor article Oct. 26, these groups, which are receiving support and protection from Turkey, have been going through rough times of late with Russia's intervention and high-paced joint operations with the Syrian army. The AKP's electoral success has improved the groups' morale.