Survival Before Diplomacy: How Electoral Competition Constrains Leader Diplomacy in Turkey

ABSTRACT Do election campaigns reduce leaders’ engagement in foreign diplomacy? Whereas existing research argues that elections divert leaders’ time and attention away from international affairs, most evidence comes from the United States and relies on yearly data. This article examines the relationship between electoral cycles and diplomatic travel using the case of Turkey. Drawing on a monthly dataset of official foreign visits by Turkish prime ministers, presidents, and foreign ministers between 1990 and 2025, the analysis reveals that foreign travel declines significantly during election months and the immediately preceding period. The effect is strongest for top leaders, although foreign ministers also reduce travel. By using high-frequency data from a non-US case, the article provides new evidence on how domestic electoral pressures shape foreign-policy activity.