Description
Since the beginning of the mass movement called as the Arab Spring or Arab Uprisings, Libya has become one of the competition area in which various international and regional powers have sought to determine regional politics, expanding their influence. As such, Turkey has desired to control the shifted regional geopolitics by following their interests and goals in Libya as an essential regional actor. Notably, it has entered into the rivalry by supporting the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli, against Haftar-based House of Representatives in Tobruk and its supporters, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
In this respect, this paper will aim to shed light on how Turkey has shaped its foreign policy in the Libyan Uprising, and which factors have determined its foreign policy behaviour. As a theoretical approach, the paper will utilise neoclassical realism which integrates system-level and unit-level determinants to define a state's foreign policy behaviour. In this context, the study will analyse Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's perception as the unit-level variable since foreign policy decisions reflect state leaders' perception in more specific times. Therefore, the paper will seek to provide an objective understanding of the perceptions of President Erdogan's regarding the balance of power, systemic risks and threats in Libya and Turkey's capability as the unit-level variable in determining Turkey's specific foreign policy in Libyan Uprising.
