How do migrant and refugee movements influence domestic political dynamics? In particular, how do states’ management of migration shape electoral dynamics?
While migration diplomacy often focuses on the effects of migration on foreign policy, with notable examples like the EU's €6 billion agreement with Turkey in 2016 and the €1 billion pact with Tunisia in 2023, there has been limited exploration of how such agreements shape public opinion. This paper addresses this gap by examining the impact of Greek-Turkish migration diplomacy on electoral politics, drawing on a 2023 public opinion survey conducted in Turkey. It specifically analyzes President Erdoğan’s management of the Syrian refugee crisis and his interactions with Greece and the European Union. The study explores how Turkey’s assertive migration diplomacy is perceived by the Turkish public, its influence on voting behavior, and its wider implications for domestic politics. By doing so, this paper contributes to the literature on the domestic effects of migration diplomacy within international relations and adds an empirical dimension to existing research on Greek-Turkish relations.
Meet our speaker and chair
Gerasimos Tsourapas is Professor of International Relations at the University of Glasgow and a Visiting Professor at the Hellenic Observatory of the London School of Economics and Political Science. He serves as Chair of the Ethnicity, Nationalism, & Migration Studies (ENMISA) Section of the International Studies Association and as Editor-in-Chief of Migration Studies (Oxford University Press). Currently, he is the Principal Investigator of a five-year European Research Council Starting Grant project on migration diplomacy. This seminar presents preliminary findings that will contribute to a forthcoming monograph exploring the evolution of Greek-Turkish relations through the lens of migration and refugee politics.
Kevin Featherstone, Emeritus Professor; Professorial Research Fellow, Hellenic Observatory
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The Hellenic Observatory (@HO_LSE) is internationally recognised as one of the premier research centres on contemporary Greece and Cyprus. It engages in a range of activities, including developing and supporting academic and policy-related research; organisation of conferences, seminars and workshops; academic exchange through visiting fellowships and internships; as well as teaching at the graduate level through LSE's European Institute.
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