ABSTRACT
Mainly associated with the views of the Russian nationalist writer Alexander Dugin in the post-Soviet period, the idea of Russian Eurasianism advocates the formation of a grand geopolitical coalition between the countries of Eurasia against Western dominance in world politics. In Turkey, it has been particularly attractive for national-patriotic political groups, which have favoured a rapprochement with Russia due to their discontent with the Turkish government’s pro-Western policies. Throughout the 2000s, Eurasianism gained new supporters from both the rightist and leftist circles, especially during the periods when Turkey faced significant problems in its relations with the West. The goal of this chapter is to discuss the rising appeal of Eurasianism in Turkey in light of the latest rapprochement with Russia. To this end, it will particularly focus on the post-July 15 period, which signifies a growing rift between Turkey and the U.S., EU and NATO over a number of issues. The chapter will also explore Dugin’s personal links with the leadership of the pro-Russian Patriotic Party as well as the views of the Turkish political, intellectual and military figures on the strategic rapprochement with Russia in order to understand the real influence of the Eurasianist ideas on this process.
