France/Turkey in the EastMed: a Closer Look at the Rivalry between the Two Countries.
This week, Ifri, in partnership with CATS Network, is launching a series of five videos on the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, seen through the prism of the geopolitical rivalry between France and Turkey.
In her contribution, Jana Jabbour deciphers the rivalry between France and Turkey in the EastMed, which reached an all-time high in the summer 2020. This strategic opposition resulted in tensions on multiple fronts (in Syria, Libya and Lebanon) that have sometimes taken a military turn. These tensions go beyond a simple animosity between Erdogan and Macron, and are part of a long-term geopolitical rivalry.
"France acts as a 'keeper' of the Western-centered world order, while Turkey, as a middle rising power, is determined to challenge that order" - Jana Jabbour.