Ankara has become a hostage of its own image as an economically successful state with a stable socio-political system.

Despite a growing assertiveness in Ankara’s relations with Brussels, Turkey will continue to seek closer integration with the EU in the coming years.

For the first time in a decade, the AKP government is encountering major impediments both domestically and internationally, and the party’s image has been tarnished.

The Kurdish issue remains a serious challenge to the stability and security of both Turkey and much of the Middle East. Over the last ten years, however, the region has witnessed substantial major changes (including, Turkey’s socio-…