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Not all populists turn inward – and for a reason: Mexican and Turkish development cooperation in an era of global fragmentations

Baydag, R. Melis / Rebecka Villanueva Ulfgard
Staff - Other (2025)

in: Stephan Klingebiel / Andy Sumner (eds.), Development and development policy in the Trump era, Bonn: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), 67-72

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23661/idp23.2025

Middle powers such as Mexico and Turkey have become increasingly influential in international development cooperation over the past two decades. Following the trend of a surge in populist leaders, their development cooperation has recently been combined with highly personalised, leader-centric foreign policy styles. This trend has significant implications for global development. On the one hand, they demonstrate that populist governance does not necessarily undermine international cooperation. The leaders of Mexico and Turkey contrast sharply with inward-looking populist leaders such as Donald Trump, whose approach has weakened multilateralism. On the other hand, however, the personalisation of development cooperation in general carries risks. Although these leaders frame initiatives as pragmatic and altruistic partnerships with developing countries, they often serve domestic political agendas and risk reinforcing transactional, short-term, leader-driven development policy in an era of global fragmentation.

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