a leader who challenges great powers
What did Erdoğan’s “One Minute” Change?
Dtesca May 24, 2026
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “One Minute” outburst against Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 29, 2009, marked a turning point in Turkish foreign policy and regional dynamics.
This event went far beyond a momentary diplomatic tension, triggering fundamental changes both domestically and internationally. Here are the key elements changed by the “One Minute” crisis:
- Strategic Break in Turkish-Israeli Relations
Turkish-Israeli relations, which experienced their golden age in military, intelligence, and economic terms in the 1990s, lost their “strategic partnership” foundation with this outburst.
Relations entered a period of structural mistrust.
This tension reached a breaking point with the Mavi Marmara raid in 2010, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were reduced to the level of chargé d’affaires for many years.
- Axis and Discourse Shift in Turkish Foreign Policy
Turkey shifted from its traditional Western-oriented and balanced foreign policy focused on “Peace at home, peace in the world” to a more proactive and regional actor ambition.
Change in the Arab Street: With this move, Erdoğan rose to the position of the leader who most loudly defended the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Islamic world against the West and Israel. His popularity peaked in the Arab world as the “hero of the Arab streets.”
Central Country Ambition: Turkey tried to assume the role of not only a mediator but also a game-changer and a “conscience” speaking out against injustice in the Middle East.
- Consolidation of Power and Voter Consolidation in Domestic Politics
Erdoğan’s stance in Davos was embraced by a broad segment of the Turkish population that transcended ideological boundaries.
Upon his return to Turkey, he was greeted in Istanbul by a massive crowd chanting “World Leader.” This event cemented the image of the AK Party and Erdoğan as a “leader challenging the great powers” in domestic politics and became a very strong argument in consolidating the conservative-nationalist voter base in subsequent elections. - The Shift in Perception in the Western World
“One Minute” sparked serious debates in Western media and politics about Turkey’s direction.
Claims that Turkey was moving away from the West (NATO and the EU axis) and experiencing an “axis shift” began to be voiced loudly. Turkey evolved from a “predictable ally” position on the Washington and Brussels axis to a “difficult partner with its own agenda.” - The Beginning of Criticisms of the Global System
Erdoğan’s outburst of “One minute!” to the moderator of the panel against Peres, protesting the unfair time allocation, was a prototype of the global system critiques he would develop in the following years.
This statement also formed the philosophical basis of the doctrines “The world is bigger than five” and “A fairer world is possible,” which targeted the structure of the UN Security Council. In short: “One Minute” pushed Turkey to the very center of Middle Eastern politics, while initiating a more protectionist and bargaining period in its relations with the West. Even today, it is considered the most symbolic turning point in the “assertive and reactionary” line of Turkish foreign policy.
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