Lacroix: Ankara uses the Latin alphabet to unite the Turkish world and confront Russian influence | policy

Lacroix said that Ankara adopted a new version of the unified Latin alphabet to be a common basis for the Turkic languages ​​of Central Asia, in an attempt to reduce Russia’s influence and enhance the Turkish role in the post-Soviet space.

The French newspaper explained – in a report written by Apolline Villeboa – that this announcement – which combines cultural symbolism and political ambition – came during the summit of the Organization of Turkic Speaking States, which was held in Gabala (Azerbaijan) in October 2025, in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leaders of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

According to Lacroix, Erdogan presented two symbolic books printed for the first time in the “unified Turkish alphabet” consisting of 34 letters, developed by a linguistic council affiliated with the organization with the aim of unifying the Turkish languages ​​and abandoning the Cyrillic alphabet, which has a Russian heritage.

What distinguishes these two books – according to the newspaper – is that they are the first publications printed in the “unified Turkish alphabet,” which is a new version of the Latin alphabet adapted to suit the Turkish languages, and was drafted by a linguistic council affiliated with the organization in late 2024.

Researcher Bayram Balcı (from the French Center for Political Science) believes that the project reflects Ankara’s ancient efforts to build a Turkish cultural and political bloc, and stressed that Turkey has been the main driver of the idea since the organization’s founding in 2009.

The researcher added that the adoption of this Latin alphabet also represents a symbolic liberation from Soviet influence, and a step towards openness to the world, especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 provided the Turkish-speaking countries of Central Asia with the opportunity to reshape their identity away from Russian influence.

Turkey had adopted the Latin alphabet since the era of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the 1920s, and Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan also adopted it completely in the years following independence, while Uzbekistan remained in the dual use of the Latin and Cyrillic letters.

This step – according to the newspaper – raises concern for Russia, which considers it an attempt to reduce its influence in Central Asia, while observers believe that it gives Erdogan internal momentum among the nationalist movements that support the “Turkish world” project.

The writer concluded that this new alphabet may become a tool of cultural and geopolitical influence in an ongoing race between Ankara and Moscow for leadership of the heart of Eurasia.