By sahar Ragab
Following the Presidential Council meeting held yesterday on May 4, 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced significant economic achievements, highlighting Turkey’s robust export performance despite ongoing regional conflicts.
Erdoğan revealed that Turkey’s exports reached $25.4 billion in April, marking a 22.3% year-on-year increase. Total exports for the January–April period climbed to $88.63 billion. Notably, for the first time in the Republic’s history, Turkey’s 12-month cumulative exports hit $275.8 billion.
He emphasized that Turkish exports expanded to 166 countries and regions, with growth recorded across all 26 sectors. The automotive sector maintained its top position with $3.9 billion in exports, followed by chemicals at $3.1 billion, electrical and electronics at $1.8 billion, and ready-to-wear garments at $1.451 billion. Meanwhile, defense and aerospace exports reached $962 million, reflecting a 28% increase in the first four months of the year.
On the political front, Erdoğan delivered strong remarks regarding the European Union, asserting that Europe’s future as a global power depends on its relationship with Turkey. He stressed that the EU cannot become an effective global actor without Turkey’s full membership.
He further noted that the world is rapidly evolving toward a multipolar order, with regional cooperation gaining importance and new global players emerging. Turkey, he stated, is among the leading candidates to become a key pole in this new system.
Domestically, Erdoğan announced expanded support for young people through the Family and Youth Fund. The initiative offers loans ranging between 200,000 and 250,000 Turkish lira to support marriage. Additional benefits include deferred installments for couples who have children during repayment, with full loan forgiveness granted if a second child is born within the repayment period.
Objectives of the News:
Highlight Turkey’s strong economic performance and export growth.
Present Turkey’s evolving political stance toward Europe.
Explain Turkey’s vision for a multipolar global order.
Showcase government initiatives supporting youth and family formation.
Analysis:
Erdoğan’s statements reflect a blend of economic confidence and geopolitical ambition. The record-breaking export figures indicate the success of Turkey’s strategy to diversify markets and strengthen industrial output, particularly in key sectors such as automotive and defense.
At the same time, his remarks toward the European Union signal a recalibrated relationship based on parity rather than dependency. Ankara appears to be leveraging global shifts—especially the decline of Western dominance and the rise of new powers—to reinforce its position as both a regional and global actor.
On the domestic front, the youth-focused financial support policies suggest a strategic effort to address demographic and economic challenges by encouraging marriage and family stability, aligning social policy with long-term economic planning.