Over the last couple of months, the world has observed a relatively surprising picture: a kind and gentle Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is ready to embrace Israel, declare the future of Turkey in the European Union (EU), talk to the Saudi king on the phone and cheer for the end of the blockade against Qatar, even biting his tongue against his favorite enemy, Syrian President Bashar al Assad. In preparation for the new US administration, Erdogan is trying to play nice with all around him.
In the meantime, he is also visiting senior officials from smaller opposition parties to expand the coalition for the 2023 election. Although opposition strongly argues an early election is inevitable, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) so far has insisted elections for the presidency and the parliament will be held in 2023 as scheduled.