Populist Narratives and Personalized National Role Conception in Middle Powers

The Cases of Mexico and Turkey During the Covid ‐19 Pandemic

Bibliographic Data

ID6445488
AuthorsR Melis Baydag (0000-0001-9468-333X, Ruhr University Bochum, corresponding author), Rebecka Villanueva Ulfgard (0000-0002-8856-2563, Instituto Mora)
Year2025
Volume53
Issue1
Publication date2025-01-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitics & Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1555-5623 • E-ISSN: 1747-1346
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/polp.12645
OpenAlexW4406086316
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited54

This article examines the populist influences on middle power roles, focusing on two charismatic populist leaders, Presidents López Obrador in Mexico and Erdoğan in Turkey during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Conventional middle power theories emphasize material, behavioral and identity factors as shaping middle power roles, highlighting the cooperative foreign policy stances of their leaders, while largely overlooking the domestic political contexts where these leaders may display highly polarizing styles. We argue that leaders themselves are a critical factor in shaping middle power behavior. Incorporating the framework of role theories, we demonstrate that both López Obrador and Erdoğan personalized their countries' roles globally, aligning national populist narratives with foreign policy. We identify two core populist narratives—the leader's opposition to the political establishment and advocacy for the people's interests—and explore how these shaped Mexico's and Turkey's middle power roles, particularly in their promotion of global justice and solidarity during the pandemic. Related Articles Özer, Sanem, Asiye Gün Güneş Gülal, and Yusuf Kenan Polat. 2023. “The Rule of Law in the Grip of Populist Authoritarianism: Hungary and Poland.” Politics & Policy 51(5): 936–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12554 . Skowronska, Kaja. 2021. “The Recent Politicization of Immigration in Poland in Light of Preexisting State Practices: Continuity or Change in the Understanding of Citizenship and Nationhood?” Politics & Policy 49(4): 940–67. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12424 . Villanueva Ulfgard, Rebecka, and César Villanueva. 2019. “Introduction: Capturing the Dilemmas of Modernity and Tradition in Mexico.” Politics & Policy 47(1): 6–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12289

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Art · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Literature · Narrative · Pandemic · Political science · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · International Development and Aid · Medicine · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Turkey's Politics and Society · Internal Medicine · Virology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access