Turkey takes a dangerous path

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has exploited a conflict with Kurdish insurgents and a failed coup to win elections and wage a brutal crackdown on critics.

In an interview last January, Biden called Erdogan an “autocrat,” criticized his actions toward the Kurds. He also suggested the U.S. should support Turkish opposition leaders “to be able to take on and defeat Erdogan. Not by a coup, but by the electoral process.”

Both the U.S. and Europe have become “increasingly frustrated” with Erdogan’s emboldened foreign interventions and “erratic” behavior toward allies and adversaries alike, said Agathe Demarais, global forecasting director at the at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

“This is a dangerous path,” she said. “The incoming Biden administration is likely to take a much tougher stance on Turkey than Donald Trump has done.”

In its first statement, Biden Administration has called turkey to respect the European Court of Human Rights decision by releasing of Selahattin Demirtas and Osman Kavalla.

The US asks Turkey to respect fundamental rights and to find a quick and fair solution to the Kavalla and Demirtas cases.

Turkey, a NATO ally has been in conflict with Washington recently for purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system, and for the rival claims to Mediterranean waters with Greece.