This research explores the evolution of Turkey’s regional role in the post-2016 period, focusing on the strategic ambitions and objectives driving its foreign policy. The study investigates how domestic political transformations, regional instability, and global power shifts have reshaped Ankara’s behavior as an emerging regional actor. By analyzing Turkey’s involvement in the Arab region, the Eastern Mediterranean, and broader geopolitical arenas, the paper identifies key patterns in its diplomatic, military, and economic strategies. The research adopts a qualitative analytical approach, using theoretical perspectives on regional power dynamics to interpret Turkey’s external engagement. Ultimately, the study aims to assess whether Turkey’s growing regional presence reflects a coherent strategic vision or reactive pragmatism shaped by complex regional realities.
This research employs an analytical approach to examine Turkey's regional role after 2016, analyzing the political, economic, and security indicators that accompanied this role and linking them to the internal and external contexts that contributed to its formation. The research also utilizes several theoretical approaches in international relations, particularly the role model approach, to understand how state behavior is shaped within its regional environment. Furthermore, a descriptive approach is employed to understand the historical and internal developments that paved the way for the transformation of Turkish foreign policy. These factors are analyzed within a synthetic framework that considers the interplay between Turkey's official ambitions and the structural shifts in the regional system.