Vicarious identification in foreign policy making: the AKP’s construction of a ‘Leadership’ image at home after the Assad regime

Turkey’s role in Syria has been extensively studied in International Relations, yet the influence of vicarious identification on foreign policy, particularly in relation to ontological security theory (OST), remains underexplored. Addressing this gap, the article examines how the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) vicariously identified with Sunni Syrians following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Using the discourse-historical approach (DHA), it analyzes how the AKP portrayed itself as a protector of oppressed Sunnis to justify intervention in Syrian affairs. These narratives enabled the AKP to assert itself as a regional power to boost national ontological security.