The Turkish pendulum and Erdogan’s friends

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently facing challenging times, and alongside him, authoritarian leaders from around the world are concerned about his fate. Recent opinion polls indicate that he is on the verge of losing the upcoming May 14 elections. If this happens, it would mean a significant loss for the global network of autocratic leaders, as Erdogan is considered a shining star in that galaxy.

Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Ali Khamenei, Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, along with other authoritarian leaders in the Arab world and Asia, as well as Nicolas Maduro in Latin America and Erdogan, have been forging alliances in recent years to establish a "new world" that aligns with their own autocratic regimes. This concerted effort is in direct opposition to the Western values and liberal democratic systems that stand in their way.

A defeat of Erdogan would undermine...