Turkey's representation in the Egyptian press: A 2024 case study

Following the political rupture in 2013, Egypt-Turkey relations were marked by nearly a decade of diplomatic disconnection and mutual tension. In recent years, however, particularly after the victory of Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections and the resulting shift in Middle East policy, a process of renewed rapprochement between Egypt and Turkey has emerged. Changes in the regional political balance have accelerated efforts by both countries to reestablish bilateral relations. Within this context, the study aims to analyze the thematic distribution of Turkey's representation in the Egyptian press by examining news reports and opinion columns published between December 2023 and April 2024. The study systematically evaluates Turkey-related news and columns in the newspapers Al-Ahram, Al-Youm Al-Sabea, and Al-Masry Al-Youm using the descriptive content analysis method. Taking into account the editorial lines and target audiences of the newspapers, the themes and distribution of Turkey-related content were comparatively analyzed. The findings of the research indicate that the overall approach of the Egyptian press toward Turkey is largely positive; both news reports and opinion columns prominently highlight themes such as diplomatic engagement, economic cooperation, and regional coordination. In the analyzed content, Turkey is predominantly portrayed as a strategic and influential actor, while the press discourse generally reflects friendly and constructive bilateral relations.