The World Is Bigger than Five: A Salutary Manifesto of Turkey's New International Outlook

Abstract

President Erdogan has expressed his objection to the current structure of the UN with the motto the world is bigger than five. The international systemic root of this objection is the failure of the UN to make adequate contribution to peace and prosperity. Among other reasons behind this call for change are the AK Party's ideological orientation, Erdogan's charisma and his powerful sense of mission to carry the 'periphery' into the center as well as Turkey's ascendancy to a rising power that has prompted it to advocate multipolarity in the international system. This article argues that the motto the world is bigger than five has a number of connotations: a strong support for a just and peaceful international order; a plea against permanent membership and the accompanying veto mechanism; a call for reforming the UN to render the UNSC more representative, transparent and accountable; and an outcry against imperialistic interventions.