Turkey should adopt policies to rectify its political failures

During a speech in August, Erdogan branded Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, the Social Democrats and the Greens as enemies of Turkey and urged his countrymen in Germany to punish the parties by refusing to vote in their favor.

His remarks fueled tensions between Germany and Turkey which began to rise after last year’s failed coup in the Eurasian nation.

The comments drew a swift rebuke from Chancellor Angela Merkel who promised in Sunday’s live televised debate to try to end Turkey’s EU accession talks.

Merkel also pledged to talk to EU partners about a joint position to end these accession talks.

It seems that Merkel, who has been Germany’s chancellor since 2005, seeks to take reciprocal measures against Erdogan.

This comes as the Turkish president continues to suffer political setbacks on the international stage.

The major defeats of the Daesh terror group in Iraq and Syria have shattered Erdogan’s dream to reestablish the Ottoman Empire.

Likewise, Turkey’s support for Qatar amid Doha’s dispute with four Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, has pushed the Arab world to distance itself from Ankara.

Furthermore, Turkey’s ties with the US have been strained over Washington’s support for Kurdish militants in Syria and its refusal to hand over Turkey’s opposition leader Fethullah Gulen.

Presently, Turkey’s 40-year dream of joining the European family has suffered a severe blow.

To sum up, Turkey’s foreign policy has plunged into turmoil.

On the one hand, Ankara is losing the trust of the US and the Arab nations. On the other hand, it is grappling with reciprocal measures of the European Union.

Such approaches indicate that Turkey is experiencing a period of political isolation.

Turkey should take a lesson from its political failures and rectify them by adopting rational and realistic policies, particularly toward its neighbors.