Long arm of Ankara

In Dutch politics and media, the "long arm of Ankara" (Dutch: lange arm van Ankara) is a metaphorical reference to the soft power the government of Turkey allegedly exerts in various European countries (notably ones with significant Turkish minorities) by using European Turks as proxies; and in the same manner it denotes the influence the Turkish government holds or attempts to hold over the Turkish diaspora.^[1][2] As it is seen as a recent development that has occasionally been attributed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it is also less commonly known as "Erdogan's long arm" (lange arm van Erdogan).^[3][4][5]

Name

The term long arm typically signifies a far-reaching influence of something, as is the case in the idiom "long arm of the law". Ankara is a metonym for the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Turkish parliament) which is housed in the capital city of Ankara.

Use

Internationally, some of the earliest claims over the concept that caught on were regarding Turkish President Erdogan calling for the prosecution of a German and a Dutch comedian over their satirical portrayals of him. Voice of America referred to it as the "long arm of the Turkish State."^[6]

Several outlets reported that the parliamentary faction run by two Turkish-Dutch people, DENK, had been accused of this due to controversy regarding their approach to Israel and anti-Semitism, the Armenian genocide, and the Turkish regime in general (especially after its arrest of Dutch journalist Ebru Umar).^[7][8]

Balkan Insight also used the term "long arm of Ankara" when referring to the Bulgarian party Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Solidarity, who had been accused of having links to the Turkish government.^[9]

See also

• Turkish lobby in the United States
• Neo-Ottomanism
• Deep state

References