President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Jan. 24 that the global order built after World War II is “cracking at its foundations,” warning that “the law of the strong” is increasingly replacing the rule of law.
Speaking at a mass opening ceremony and a housing handover event in the western province of Aydın, Erdoğan indicated debates at the World Economic Forum in Davos show that Türkiye’s long-running criticism of the international system is now being echoed in the West.
“Those who used to praise the global system are now talking about its distortions, injustices and problems,” he said, adding that those who once harshly criticized Ankara are now “giving us credit.”
At the ceremony, Erdoğan highlighted a social housing lottery for 6,973 homes in Aydın and said first deliveries under the broader project were planned from March 2027. He also said the event included openings tied to investments worth more than 87.5 billion liras, including a city hospital and other projects.
Turning to Syria, Erdoğan said Türkiye had been criticized for years over its stance during the conflict, but argued developments had proved Ankara right.
He said a “tyrannical regime” had fallen and claimed a government he described as a close friend of Türkiye had taken over in Damascus.
Erdoğan also pointed to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying Syria was “recovering rapidly” under his leadership with Türkiye’s support, and that security and stability were returning after years of conflict.
He said a united and secure Syria would benefit all Syrians — naming Arabs, Turkmens, Kurds, Alawites, Druze and Christians — and urged vigilance against attempts to stoke tensions along ethnic or sectarian lines.
Erdoğan added that the fight against ISIL and other terrorist organizations would continue with greater determination in the new period.
