Turkey’s presidential runoff election set for May 28 appears to favor longtime incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with little chance that he will ease up on his authoritarian ways.

The reopening of diplomatic ties with Israel is the latest move in Turkey’s regional rapprochement. With it, Ankara aims to bolster national security and its wavering economy.

Russia’s outsize impact on Turkish interests means Ankara is sticking to a middle ground on the war in Ukraine.

Rapprochement between Turkey and Saudi Arabia will likely restore a vital trade link as Erdogan’s government moves to improve regional ties amid deep economic troubles.