Turkey pushing to expand influence in Lebanon, wider region with President's son's visit – analysis

Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visited Lebanon for three days, meeting with senior political leaders including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, and Future Movement Vice President Bahia Hariri. The visit included stops in Tripoli and Akkar, where he visited Ottoman-era sites and met religious leaders, illustrating Turkey's efforts to expand influence in Lebanon amid regional shifts after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.

Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, completed a three-day visit to Lebanon that included meetings with senior political leaders and symbolic stops in northern Lebanon. The visit illustrates Turkey's efforts to expand its influence in Lebanon at a time when the regional balance of power is changing, particularly following the fall of the Assad regime in neighboring Syria. Erdogan met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, and Future Movement Vice President Bahia Hariri, signaling Ankara's outreach beyond its traditional Sunni partners. In Tripoli, he visited the Hamidiyeh Clock Tower and the Great Mansouri Mosque, where he was welcomed by the Mufti of Tripoli and Maronite Archbishop Youssef Soueif. The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar noted that the warm reception for Erdogan contrasted with a more subdued welcome given to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun two weeks earlier. Erdogan also traveled to Akkar and al-Kawashra, a town with Turkmen roots. The visit combined political diplomacy with cultural initiatives, including the Yunus Emre Institute's promotion of Turkish language and culture.