In the aftermath AKP's consolidation of power, the big question is what next? The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have long been an important if not the most important voice in Turkish foreign policy. With the military firmly under the control of the civilian government how will Turkish foreign policy change? Will Turkey pursue closer relations with Iran and Syria? What about Israel?

One interesting way to start this discussion is to look at the views and opinions of the Turkish population. While of course Erdogan and Co. call the shots at the end of the day, AKP's recent victory puts the party in a peculiar position. AKP needs to maintain its popular mandate in order to insure economic stability, maintain international legitimacy and manage its delicate relationship with the courts--the other pillar of the old secular regime.  This makes popular opinion, especially on sensitive issues like Turkey's relationship with Iran, more important.

According to a recent Pew report Turks have particularly low regard for Middle Eastern leaders:

Same for Hezbollah, Hamas, and Osama bin Laden:

While its unlikely that the Turkish public will dictate foreign policy, its views do establish the parameters for what AKP can and can't do. If these data are an accurate representation of the Turkish psyche, I wouldn't expect a big shift in Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East anytime soon.