President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the “most admired leader” in the Western Balkans, according to a regional survey.
The International Republican Institute's "Western Balkans Regional Survey" posed questions about the most important issues facing these countries, government priorities and opinions on world and regional leaders.
Most participants identified "economic conditions and the cost of living" as their top concerns.
The Turkish president led the survey in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
In Albania, 71% of the respondents viewed Erdoğan favorably, followed by U.S. President Joe Biden, 64%, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, 14%.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, 61% of the respondents favored Erdoğan, while Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden and Xi each received about 37%.
In Montenegro, Erdoğan led with 56%, followed by Putin with 50% and Xi with 46%.
In North Macedonia, Erdoğan was the most admired leader with 66%, followed by Putin with 49%, Biden with 37% and Xi with 35%.
In Serbia, Putin was the most admired leader with 80%; Xi was second with 73% and Erdoğan third with 41%.
In Kosovo, Biden was the most admired leader with 85%, followed by Erdoğan with 82%.
The survey included 1,216 respondents from Albania, 1,225 from Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1,220 from North Macedonia, 1,036 from Montenegro, 1,238 from Serbia and 1,203 from Kosovo.
As Ankara’s foreign policy approach started to change with the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) period, the Balkans were again designated as a strategic region, albeit not an area of priority.
Mutual visits and agreements were revived and Türkiye tried to support the development of the region. It underlined the importance of humanitarian bridges and presented itself as a mediator in tensions such as Serbia-Kosovo or the ongoing problems in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Erdoğan himself has worked to ensure a permanent cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia since the invasion began in February 2022, thanks to Türkiye’s unique position of having friendly relations with both sides.
He also received overwhelming support from prominent politicians in the Balkans during his presidential campaign in the 2023 elections.
Türkiye is also a founding member of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which aims at strengthening good-neighborly relations.
Being a Balkan country, Türkiye currently competes for influence in the Balkans with the EU, U.S., Russia and China, and ties are moving on in a positive atmosphere, notably with the said countries it has had a historical bond with.
Ankara has investments with Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania and others, and enjoys strong trade ties.
