G20, a washout of a party

Amid internal and external tensions, Ankara sees a good opportunity to start afresh go to waste. The meeting of the heads of state of 20 major economic powers in Antalya on 15-16 November next was meant to be a moment of celebration for Turkey, which has assumed the rotating presidency of the G20 for the first time. Instead, it will mark the end of a terrible year during which serious domestic, economic and geopolitical tensions have substantially downsized the country’s ambitions.

When it took over the reins of the G20 last December, Ankara promised to contribute to a global economic recovery, trumpeting its goal of becoming the tenth largest economy in the world within a decade. The first Muslim-majority country to head the G20, Turkey furthermore aimed to boost recovery among emerging and established economies and reinforce its role as a bridge between the industrialised and developing worlds.