Issue #13

From Ankara’s manoeuvring in the Gulf to the rise of a new international Right, and from Milei’s consolidation of power in Argentina to Iran’s unraveling banking sector, this week has been about political, financial and ideological realignments.

It feels as though global politics has entered a phase where political survival matters more than ideology, and where even old adversaries are finding out new ways to engage with each other.

Let’s unpack it.

— Oliver, Co-Founder of GPD

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🔎 What we're looking at this week

Turkey-Gulf relations: Erdoğan doubles down on pragmatism, balancing ambition and restraint as Ankara expands its economic and security footprint across the Gulf.
The international Right: From Washington to Buenos Aires, a new global Right is forming. But can its leaders stay aligned once in power?
Argentina: Milei’s party dominated midterms with Trump’s quiet backing, tightening U.S.–Argentina ideological alignment and reshaping South America’s economic trajectory.
Libya: Ankara has quietly reached out to the Haftars, signalling a pragmatic pivot that could redefine Libya’s balance of power.
Iran: The collapse of Ayandeh Bank exposes deeper structural issues in Iran’s financial system and may hint at what's to come.

📸 Image of the week

Despite repeated peace deals, fighting in eastern Congo persists and signs point to an even wider escalation ahead. At the core of Congo’s protracted conflict lies a struggle for control over its vast mineral reserves. The map above highlights the shifting frontlines between M23, FARDC, and their allied forces. Elaborated by Thomas van Linge for GPD.

🇹🇷 Turkey’s Gulf playbook: pragmatism with purpose

What happened: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is deepening economic and security ties with Gulf states, despite Gulf capitals remaining somewhat wary of Turkey's regional ambitions.

Why it matters: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent tour of Kuwait, Qatar and Oman marked another milestone in Ankara’s expanding Gulf outreach. What began two years ago as rapprochement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) driven by investments is now evolving into a more ambitious agenda that blends trade diplomacy, security cooperation and political posture.