Turkey loses popularity in Middle East over past two years

Turkey’s popularity in the Middle East has dropped sharply over the past two years, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday, reflecting Ankara’s sometimes controversial foreign policy strategy.

The biggest decline was registered in Egypt and war-ravaged Syria, where Turkey is strongly opposed to those in power, according to the poll by an Istanbul-based think-tank. Overall, the number of people surveyed in 16 countries who had a positive view of Turkey slid to 59 percent this year from 78 percent in 2011, the Turkey Economic and Social Studies Foundation said, reports The Straits Times. Turkey, a regional Sunni Muslim power, had adopted a ‘zero problems’ policy towards its neighbours but has found itself losing influence in the wake of the Syrian civil war and the Arab Spring uprisings.