Turkey’s Soft Power in Lebanon: An Instrument to Counter Armenian Genocide Recognition

In today’s world, economic success, ideological persuasion, and cultural attractiveness are strong instruments to exert a state’s influence in a given geographical region. These instruments are part of a state’s ‘Soft Power’. Over the past decades, taking advantage of the political vacuum in Lebanon, Turkey exerted its influence through cultural, humanitarian and educational means in Lebanon. Turkey entered the Lebanese political window mainly through humanitarianism. Turkish government-affiliated agencies such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Yunus Emre Institute were used as soft power tools to propagate Turkish political influence. Meanwhile, the spread of Islamist ideologies around the region during the “Arab Spring” has triggered the mobilization of Islamist movements such as the Jama’a Islamiya (Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood) which considers itself a sister party of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In addition to other movements and Sunni politicians in Lebanon’s northern cities of Tripoli and Akkar, and even in Beirut, this organization has forged a strong relationship with Turkey.
It did not take long for Ankara to transform its ‘Soft Power’ into a political instrument and clash with the interests of other minorities in Lebanon, mainly the Armenians. Turkey’s role through its cultural institutions and proxies was very clear. During the centennial of the Armenian Genocide (2015), the Jama’a and other Turkey-affiliated or backed movements organized anti-Armenian rallies in Beirut and Tripoli declaring their support for Turkey and denying the occurrence of the Genocide. Back then, Lebanese media channels started making headlines and increasing their interest in Turkey’s influence, Turkish-backed organizations, and the history of Lebanese of Turkic origin.
It is worth mentioning that Lebanon is the first Arab country to recognize the Armenian Genocide where on May 11, 2000, the Lebanese Parliament unanimously approved a resolution calling for the condemnation of the Genocide. This was a highly symbolic move where even Muslim MPs voted in favor, however, the voting process should also be viewed from geopolitical lenses amid regional tension between Damascus and Ankara and Syria’s political presence and military in Lebanon. The following paper will reflect on this recognition and shed light on Turkey’s growing soft power in Lebanon, its political objectives, and its role in shaping or countering Armenian Genocide recognition efforts among the Lebanese Sunni community in Lebanon.