Qatar: An emerging player in the regional order of the Middle East since 2010

This research mainly examines the rise of Qatar in the regional order in the Middle East after the Arab Spring within the framework of neoclassical realist theory (NCR) and alliance theories. While the Arab Spring shattered long-standing regimes in the region, it revealed threats and opportunities for the regional countries. From this point of view, Qatar considered regional change as an opportunity and used both its own resources and alliance relations to respond to this systemic pressure. It strengthened its influence in transition countries, especially by benefiting from the political rise of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB)/the Islamists in the region. At this point, NCR offers us a different perspective in examining Qatar's foreign policy behaviours. From this theoretical point of view, both systemic (independent variable) and domestic factors (intervening variables) are included in the analysis and help us to understand the foreign policy outputs / foreign policy behaviours (dependent variable) better. The fact that Qatar increased its influence in the region with autonomous (independent) foreign policy preferences and supported the MB-attached governments worried its regional rivals. The KSA-led alliance/camp made political manoeuvres to halt the rise of Qatar and redesign its political preferences. In this context, they primarily supported the interferences/counterrevolutions that could restrict the MB in the region. Under these circumstances, an exceptional shift of political power took place in Qatar in 2013 and Emir Hamad, who had deep and historical ties with the MB, handed over his ruling power to his son Emir Tamim. In addition, the political behaviours of the KSA-led camp sought to weaken the Turkey and Qatar-led alliance/camp in transition countries. Later, the KSA-led camp made two important diplomatic moves (the 2014 and 2017 Qatar crises) to put pressure on Qatar to restrict and, if possible, change its foreign policy. However, Qatar under the influence of its new leader tried to stand against these moves with the help of its strategic alliances and domestic factors. In other words, the Qatari leadership, who ensured regime security and domestic stability, mobilized the state power and succeeded in ending the crises. As a result, Qatar emerged as a significant player in the region after the Arab Spring, and despite many challenges, it successfully managed to preserve its position in the regional and international arena.