Turkey's bid for BRICS membership is viewed as both a strategic and symbolic move by analysts.

• Turkey, a key NATO member and influential geopolitical player, has been gaining more power and clout worldwide.
• Some view BRICS as a symbolic opposition to Western-led groups such as the EU, G7, and NATO, despite its lack of formal organization, enforcement methods, and standardized rules and regulations.
• Although Turkey has been aligned with Europe and the U.S. for decades, it has consistently been rejected from joining the EU, which has been a sore spot for Ankara.

The request of Turkey to join the BRICS alliance is viewed as both strategic and symbolic, as the Eurasian country with a population of 85 million continues to gain influence and leverage on the global stage.

"Earlier in September, a spokesperson for Turkey's leading AK Party stated that our president has expressed our desire to join BRICS multiple times. Our request to become a member is clear, and the process is currently underway."

The BRICS group, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, aims to strengthen economic relationships among its members. This year, the organization welcomed four new participants: Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE.

Although it lacks formal structure, enforcement mechanisms, and uniform rules and standards, it is viewed as a counterweight to Western-led organizations like the EU, the G7, and NATO.

According to George Dyson, a senior analyst at Control Risks, Turkey's decision to join BRICS is consistent with its broader geopolitical strategy of establishing itself as an independent actor in a multi-polar world and potentially becoming a dominant power in its own right.

"Dyson stated that while Turkey is not completely turning away from the West, it aims to strengthen its trading relationships and pursue opportunities independently without being limited by its alignment with the West. This action is symbolic, as Turkey is showing that it is not bound by its good relations with the West."

Diversifying alliances

Although Turkey has been aligned with Europe and the U.S. for decades, it has consistently been rejected from joining the EU, which has been a sore spot for Ankara.

According to Ambassador Matthew Bryza, a former White House and Senior State Department official currently residing in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his administration appear to be driven by two primary motivations: securing national interests and attempting to intimidate the West. This behavior stems from both emotional resentment and a strategic approach to obtain concessions.

CNBC has contacted the Turkish presidency's office for comment.

In recent years, Turkey has played a significant role in international diplomacy, facilitating prisoner swap deals and leading negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, as well as repairing its relationships with regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt.

Ankara maintains an independent stance by refusing to impose sanctions on Russia, despite this stance causing tension with its Western allies. This position allows Ankara to strengthen its relationships with China and the Global South.

An independent economist and consultant based in Turkey, Arda Tunca, stated that any new BRICS member is eager to leverage the stronger "togetherness" of emerging economies to reduce their reliance on developed economies, particularly the United States.

Standing up to the West?

Despite its western alliances, Turkey faces serious political issues with the EU and the US, making its position in the world a delicate topic of discussion, as noted by Tunca.

The ruling party in Turkey, which has been in power for 22 years, is "more aligned with the East than the West," according to Tunca. "Turkey's goal is to join the BRICS alliance before it's too late. While it's too early to say that the BRICS can replace the West, the intention is clear: to challenge the West under the leadership of China."

Being part of BRICS enables its members to trade in currencies other than dollars, which aims to reduce dependence on the U.S.-led system and promote a more multi-polar world. However, some in the West are wary of China's leadership in BRICS, seeing it as a potential victory for Beijing.

"Dyson stated that there is no enforcement of BRICS' decisions, and it is more of a geopolitical symbolic counter to the G7. He also pointed out that Iran and UAE are both part of the group, making it seem like an anti-West team."

Since at least 2018, Erdogan has expressed his desire to join BRICS, but the issue has not been formalized. In June, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited both China and Russia, including a BRICS+ summit, where Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Turkey's interest in joining the bloc.

During the interview, Jeff Flake, who was the U.S. ambassador to Turkey at the time, stated that he hoped Turkey wouldn't join the group, but believed it wouldn't harm Turkey's alignment with the West.