By Feeding Into Nativist Rhetoric, Turkey’s Government Tempts Fate

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is indulging anti-refugee sentiment, strengthening the drivers coercing Syrians back home and pushing Ankara to launch a risky new offensive there that might cause more refugees to flee into Turkey. Starting July 1, Turkish authorities will impose foreign residency quotas on certain neighborhoods around the country, limiting the number of refugees to 20%. According to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, the decision will effectively bar new foreigners from entering around 1,200 neighborhoods nationwide. This comes amid rising nativist popular backlash against refugees in Turkey that is rapidly becoming a political campaign issue ahead of the elections in 2023. ...