View source for Biography:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

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{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix= His Excellency
| name = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
| image = Recep Tayyip Erdogan 2017.jpg
| caption = Erdoğan in 2017
| signature = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signature.png
| residence = Presidential Complex
| party = {{plainlist|
*National Salvation Party {{small|(before 1981)}}
*Welfare Party {{small|(1983–1998)}}
*Virtue Party {{small|(1998–2001)}}
*Justice and Development Party {{small|(2001–2014; 2017–present)}}}}
| office1 = 12th President of Turkey <!-- second term election report says 13th -->
| predecessor1 = Abdullah Gül
| vicepresident1 = Fuat Oktay {{small|(2018-)}}
| primeminister1 = Ahmet Davutoğlu {{small|(2014-16)}}<br>Binali Yıldırım {{small|(2016-18)}}
| successor1 = 
| term_start1 = 28 August 2014
| term_end1 = 
| office2 = {{nowrap|Leader of the Justice and Development Party}}
| predecessor2 = Binali Yıldırım
| term_start2 = 21 May 2017
| term_end2 = 
| predecessor3 = ''Office established''
| successor3 = Ahmet Davutoğlu
| term_start3 = 14 August 2001
| term_end3 = 27 August 2014
| deputy4 = {{List collapsed|title=''Cabinet I'' {{small|(2003–07)}}|Abdullah Gül|Mehmet Ali Şahin|Abdüllatif Şener}}
{{List collapsed|title=''Cabinet II'' {{small|(2007–11)}}|Cemil Çiçek|Hayati Yazıcı {{small|(2007–09)}}|Nazım Ekren {{small|(2007–09)}}|Bülent Arınç {{small|(2009–11)}}|Ali Babacan {{small|(2009–11)}}}}
{{List collapsed|title=''Cabinet III'' {{small|(2011–14)}}|Bülent Arınç|Ali Babacan|Beşir Atalay|Bekir Bozdağ {{small|(2011–13)}}|Emrullah İşler {{small|(2013–14)}}}}
| office4 = 25th Prime Minister of Turkey
| predecessor4 = Abdullah Gül
| president4 = {{plainlist|
*Ahmet Necdet Sezer
*Abdullah Gül}}
| successor4 = Ahmet Davutoğlu
| term_start4 = 14 March 2003
| term_end4 = 28 August 2014
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1954|2|26}}
| birth_place = Kasımpaşa, Istanbul, [[Place:Turkey|Turkey]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouse = {{marriage|Emine Gülbaran|4 July 1978}}
| children = {{hlist|Ahmet|Bilal|two others}}
| alma_mater = Marmara University<ref name="bbcerdogan"/>
| website = {{url|tccb.gov.tr|Government website}}<br>{{url|rte.com.tr|Personal website}}
| office5 = 28th Mayor of Istanbul
| term_start5 = 27 March 1994
| term_end5 = 6 November 1998
| predecessor5 = Nurettin Sözen
| successor5 = Ali Müfit Gürtuna
| term_start6 = 9 March 2003
| term_end6 = 28 August 2014
| constituency6 = {{plainlist|
*Siirt (2003 by-election)
*Istanbul (I) (2007, 2011)}}
}}
'''Recep Tayyip Erdoğan''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛər|d|ə|w|æ|n}};<ref>[https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/erdogan "Erdoğan"]. ''Collins English Dictionary''.</ref> {{IPA-tr|ɾeˈdʒep tɑjˈjip ˈæɾdo(ɰ)ɑn|lang|Recep_Tayyip_Erdogan,_Turkish_pronunciation.ogg}}; born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician serving as President of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2014 and as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2001, leading it to general election victories in 2002, 2007 and 2011 before standing down upon his election as President in 2014. Coming from an [[Religion:Islamism|Islamist]] political background and as a self-described [[Religion:Conservative democracy|conservative democrat]], he has promoted [[Philosophy:Social conservatism|socially conservative]] and [[Social:Economic liberalism|liberal economic]] policies in his administration.<ref name="foxnews.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/08/21/turkey-davutoglu-expected-to-be-docile-prime-minister-with-erdogan-calling/|title=Turkey's Davutoglu expected to be a docile Prime Minister with Erdogan calling the shots|agency=Associated Press|publisher=''Fox News''|date=21 August 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> Under his administration, Turkey has experienced [[Social:Democratic backsliding|democratic backsliding]].<ref name=":0" />

Erdoğan played football for Kasımpaşa before being elected in 1994 as the Mayor of Istanbul from the Islamist Welfare Party. He was stripped of his position, banned from political office, and imprisoned for four months, for reciting a poem that promoted a religious point of view of government during a speech in 1998.<ref name="erdogan-imprisoned">{{cite journal|title=A Tale of Two Mayors: Courts and Politics in Iran and Turkey |first=Hootan|last=Shambayati|url=http://journals.cambridge.org/article_S0020743804362057|date=May 2004|journal=International Journal of Middle East Studies|publisher=Cambridge University Press|volume=36|issue=2|pages=253–275|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> Erdoğan abandoned openly Islamist politics and established the moderate conservative AKP in 2001. 
Following the AKP's landslide victory in 2002, the party's co-founder Abdullah Gül became Prime Minister, until his government annulled Erdoğan's ban from political office. Erdoğan became Prime Minister in March 2003 after winning a by-election in Siirt.<ref name="Kumbaracibasi2009">{{cite book|author=Arda Can Kumbaracibasi|title=Turkish Politics and the Rise of the AKP: Dilemmas of Institutionalization and Leadership Strategy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tZLL9cg--u0C&pg=PA2|date=24 July 2009|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-203-87629-9|pages=1–2}}</ref>

Erdoğan's government oversaw negotiations for Turkey's membership in the [[Social:European Union|European Union]], an economic recovery following a financial crash in 2001, changes to the constitution via referenda in 2007 and 2010, a [[Religion:Neo-Ottomanism|Neo-Ottoman]] foreign policy, and investments in infrastructure including roads, airports, and a high-speed train network,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/18/us-turkey-constitution-idUSBRE91H0C220130218|title=Erdogan's ambition weighs on hopes for new Turkish constitution|author=Nick Tattersall|date=28 February 2013|publisher=Stratejik Boyut|accessdate=9 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metrogroup.de/internet/site/ts_turkey/print/234842/Len/index.html |title=Growing consumption|date=24 November 2011 |work=Metro Group|accessdate=28 July 2012}}</ref> and finally the [[Finance:Turkish currency and debt crisis, 2018|Turkish currency and debt crisis of 2018]].<ref name=e101>{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/05/25/erdogan-is-a-mad-economist-and-turkey-is-his-laboratory/|title=Erdogan Is Failing Economics 101|date=25 May 2018|publisher=Foreign Policy|author=Borzou Daragahi}}</ref><ref name=challenge>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/79317f20-67f5-11e8-8cf3-0c230fa67aec|title=Inflation rise poses challenge to Erdogan as election looms|date=5 June 2018|publisher=Financial Times}}</ref><ref name=crash>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/07/13/turkeys-economy-looks-like-its-headed-big-crash/|title=Turkey's economy looks like it's headed for a big crash|date=13 July 2018|publisher=Washington Post|author=Matt O'Brien}}</ref> With the help of the Cemaat Movement led by preacher [[Biography:Fethullah Gülen|Fethullah Gülen]], Erdoğan was able to curb the power of the military through the ''Sledgehammer'' and ''Ergenekon'' court cases. In late 2012, his government began peace negotiations with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to end the ongoing PKK insurgency that began in 1978. The ceasefire broke down in 2015, leading to a renewed escalation in conflict. In 2016, a coup d'état was unsuccessfully attempted against Erdoğan and Turkish state institutions. This was followed by purges and an ongoing state of emergency.

Political scientists no longer consider Turkey as a fully fledged democracy, citing the lack of free and fair elections, purges and jailing of opponents, curtailed press freedom, and Erdoğan's efforts to broadening his executive powers and minimize his executive accountability.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/12/08/is-there-still-hope-for-turkish-democracy/|title=Is there still hope for Turkish democracy?|last=Yildirim|first=A. Kadir|date=2016-12-08|work=Washington Post|access-date=2018-06-27|last2=Lynch|first2=Marc|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=2016|title=Rising competitive authoritarianism in Turkey|url=|journal=Third World Quarterly|volume=|pages=|doi=10.1080/01436597.2015.1135732|via=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2018/turkey|title=Turkey|website=freedomhouse.org|language=en|access-date=2018-06-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/06/25/erdogan/?__twitter_impression=true|title=Turkey takes a big step toward nationalist fascism|website=www.washingtonpost.com|access-date=2018-06-27}}</ref> Widespread [[Social:Gezi Park protests|2013 protests]] broke out against the perceived [[Social:Authoritarianism|authoritarianism]] of Erdoğan's policies; he criticized the protestors and then had them suppressed by police, which killed 22 people, injured numerous others and brought international condemnation from foreign governments and human rights organizations. This stalled negotiations related to EU membership. Following a split with Gülen, Erdoğan promulgated sweeping judicial reforms he insisted were needed to purge Gülen's sympathisers, but which were criticised for threatening judicial independence. A US$100&nbsp;billion corruption scandal in 2013 led to the arrests of Erdoğan's close allies, and incriminated Erdoğan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/gundem_yeni-yolsuzluk-dosyasinin-ekonomik-boyutu-100-milyar-dolar_2189530.html|title=Yeni yolsuzluk dosyasının ekonomik boyutu 100 milyar dolar|trans-title=New economic corruption files valued at $100&nbsp;billion|language=Turkish|date=27 December 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=Zaman|last1=Genç|first1=Göksel|last2=Esit|first2=Elif|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217043626/http://www.zaman.com.tr/gundem_yeni-yolsuzluk-dosyasinin-ekonomik-boyutu-100-milyar-dolar_2189530.html|archivedate=17 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://sozcu.com.tr/2013/gundem/100-milyar-dolarlik-yolsuzluk-430737/|title=100 milyar dolarlık yolsuzluk|language=Turkish|trans-title=$100&nbsp;billion dollar corruption|work=Sözcü|date=26 December 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/yolsuzluk-operasyonunun-maliyeti-10/gundem/detay/1809059/default.htm|title=Yolsuzluk operasyonunun maliyeti 100 milyar Euro|language=Turkish|trans-title=Corruption operation costs 100&nbsp;billion euros|work=Milliyet|date=17 December 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> His government has since come under fire for alleged human rights violations and crackdown on press and social media, having [[Social:Block of Wikipedia in Turkey|blocked access to Wikipedia]], Twitter, Facebook and YouTube on numerous occasions.<ref name="Turkey Blocks Twitter">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkey-blocks-access-to-twitter/2014/03/20/7bad19d2-b08c-11e3-b8b3-44b1d1cd4c1f_story.html|title= Turkey Blocks Twitter|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=21 March 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> Erdoğan's government lifted the bans when directed by court orders,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26873603|title=Official in Turkey 'lift Twitter ban'|date=3 April 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014|publisher=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-twitter-idUSBREA320E120140403|title=Turkey lifts Twitter ban after court ruling|agency=Reuters|date=3 April 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27691892|title=YouTube access restored in Turkey|date=4 June 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> but later reimposed them.<ref name = BanReimposed1 /><ref name = BanReimposed2 /> In 2016, Turkey under Erdoğan began a crackdown on freedom of the press; in 2016 and 2017, more journalists have been incarcerated in Turkey than in any other country.<ref name="journalists_jailed">[https://cpj.org/reports/2017/12/journalists-prison-jail-record-number-turkey-china-egypt.php Record number of journalists jailed as Turkey, China, Egypt pay scant price for repression], Committee to Protect Journalists (December 13, 2017).</ref> He was re-elected in the 2018 general election and assumed the role of Executive President and became both the [[Social:Head of state|head of state]] and [[Social:Head of government|head of government]].

==Personal life and education==
[[File:Gül-Erdoğan cumhurbaşkanlığı devir teslim.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan and Abdullah Gül with their respective spouses]]
Erdoğan was born in the Kasımpaşa neighborhood in Istanbul, to which his family had moved from Rize Province. His parents were Ahmet (1905–88) and Tenzile Erdoğan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.ensonhaber.com/recep-tayyip-erdoganin-hayati-2014-07-01.html|title=Recep Tayyip Erdoğan'ın hayatı|date=1 July 2014|language=Turkish|publisher=Ensonhaber}}</ref> In August 2003 during his official visit in [[Place:Tbilisi|Tbilisi]], Erdoğan reportedly explained his [[Place:Georgia (country)|Georgian]] roots. He told the story of his Adjarian forefathers, which migrated after the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78) from Batumi to Rize.<ref>{{cite news | title=Erdogan plays to base by slighting Armenians | newspaper=Al Monitor | url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/08/candar-erdogan-ethnic-slur-armenians-insult-anti-semitism.html | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219161909/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/08/candar-erdogan-ethnic-slur-armenians-insult-anti-semitism.html | archivedate=19 February 2015 | df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>(Turkish text: ''Ben de Gürcü'yüm, ailemiz Batum'dan Rize'ye göç etmiş bir Gürcü ailesidir.'') Bülent Sarıoğlu,{{cite web|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2005/12/13/siyaset/axsiy02.html |title="Kimlik değişimi!" |accessdate=5 May 2007 |deadurl=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051215122006/http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2005/12/13/siyaset/axsiy02.html |archivedate=15 December 2005 |df=dmy }} ''Milliyet'', 13 December 2005.</ref> According to journalistic investigation held by OdaTV in 2009, his grandfather's nickname "Bakatalı" is claimed to be originating from the village of Bagata, today in the Tskhinvali District of [[Place:South Ossetia|South Ossetia]].<ref>OdaTV. 17 Aug. 2009, [http://web.archive.org/web/20150716231955/http://odatv.com/n.php?n=basbakan-erdogan-dedesinin-nereli-oldugunu-odatvden-ogrenecek-1708091200 "Başbakan Erdoğan dedesinin nereli olduğunu Odatv'den öğrenecek"]</ref> Georgians in Turkey are basically Muslims, who had arrived during Ottoman times in several waves of migration from Caucasus, due to the  Russo-Turkish Wars. 

However in a 2014 televised interview on the NTV news network, he said, "You wouldn't believe the things they have said about me. They have said I am Georgian... forgive me for saying this... even much uglier things, they have even called me an Armenian, but I am Turkish."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Altintas|first1=Baris|title=PM uses offensive, racist language targeting Armenians|url=https://www.todayszaman.com/son-dakika_erdogan-even-worse-i-apologize-i-was-called-an-armenian_354746.html|publisher=''Zaman''|date=6 August 2014|accessdate=19 July 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305022943/http://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_pm-uses-offensive-racist-language-targeting-armenians_354746.html|archivedate=5 March 2016|dead-url=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Adam|title=Is 'Armenian' an insult? Turkey's prime minister seems to think so.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/08/06/is-armenian-an-insult-turkeys-prime-minister-seems-to-think-so/|publisher=''The Washington Post''|date=6 August 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> In an account based on registry records, his genealogy was tracked to an ethnic Turkish family.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Coşkun|first1=Osman|title=SAYIN BAŞBAKAN'IN SOY KÜTÜĞÜ|url=http://ikizdere.net/sayin-basbakanin-soy-kutugu/|accessdate=11 May 2017|date=24 March 2013|language=Turkish}}</ref>

Erdoğan spent his early childhood in Rize, where his father was a Captain<ref name="İşte Ahmet Kaptan'ın bilinmeyen hikayesi">{{cite web|language=Turkish|url=http://odatv.com/iste-ahmet-kaptanin-bilinmeyen-hikayesi-0412161200_m.html|title=İşte Ahmet Kaptan'ın bilinmeyen hikayesi|publisher=Odatv|date=4 December 2016}}</ref> in the Turkish Coast Guard.<ref name="charismatic">{{cite news|title=Turkey's charismatic pro-Islamic leader|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2270642.stm |newspaper=BBC News|date=4 November 2002|accessdate=23 July 2006}}</ref> Erdoğan had a brother Mustafa (b. 1958) and sister Vesile (b. 1965).<ref name="İşte Ahmet Kaptan'ın bilinmeyen hikayesi" /> His summer holidays were mostly spent in Güneysu, Rize, where his family originates. Throughout his life he often returned to this spiritual home, and in 2015 he opened a vast mosque on a mountaintop near this village.<ref>[http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kible-dagi-caminin-insaati-bitti-acilisi-erdogan-yapacak-29732329 Kıble Dağı Cami'nin inşaatı bitti, açılışı Erdoğan yapacak] Hürriyet, 5 August 2015</ref> The family returned to Istanbul when Erdoğan was 13 years old.<ref name="charismatic"/>

As a teenager, he sold lemonade and sesame buns (simit) on the streets of the city's rougher districts to earn extra money.<ref name="charismatic"/> Brought up in an observant Muslim family, Erdoğan graduated from Kasımpaşa Piyale primary school in 1965, and İmam Hatip school, a religious vocational high school, in 1973. He received his high school diploma from Eyüp High School. According to his official biography, he subsequently studied Business Administration at the Aksaray School of Economics and Commercial Sciences, now known as Marmara University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences<ref name="bbcerdogan">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6900616.stm|title=Profile: Recep Tayyip Erdogan|work=BBC News|accessdate=29 August 2008|date=18 July 2007}}</ref> — although several Turkish sources dispute that he attended or graduated.<ref name="oda TV">{{cite web |url=http://www.odatv.com/n.php?n=erdoganin-diplomasi-aslinda-hangi-okuldan-2504141200|title=Erdoğan'ın diploması aslında hangi okuldan |date=25 April 2014 |accessdate=3 December 2014 |work=oda TV |language=Turkish |trans-title=Which school is Erdoğan's diploma from}}</ref><ref name="sozcu.com.tr">{{cite web |url=http://sozcu.com.tr/2014/gunun-icinden/erdoganin-diplomasi-mecliste-497279/ |title=Erdoğan'ın diploması Meclis'te |language=Turkish |date=28 April 2014 |accessdate=3 December 2014 |publisher=''Sözcü'' |author=Cengiz Aldemir |trans-title=Erdoğan's diploma in parliament}}</ref><ref name="Zaman">{{cite web |url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/gundem_rektorluk-diplomasini-yayinladi-halacoglu-yeni-belge-gosterdi_2213158.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426110759/http://www.zaman.com.tr/gundem_rektorluk-diplomasini-yayinladi-halacoglu-yeni-belge-gosterdi_2213158.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=26 April 2014 |title=Rektörlük, diplomasını yayınladı; Halaçoğlu yeni belge gösterdi |date=25 April 2014 |accessdate=3 December 2014 |publisher=''Zaman'' |language=Turkish |trans-title=Rectorate issues diploma: Halaçoğlu shown the new document }}</ref>

In his youth, Erdoğan played semi-professional football at a local club.<ref name="bbcerdogan"/><ref name="akperdogan">{{cite web|url=http://www.akparti.org.tr/english/yonetim/genel-baskan|title=Life story|work=AK Parti Official Web Site|accessdate=29 August 2008}}</ref><ref name="britannicaerdogan">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/913988/Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan|title=Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|encyclopedia=Britannica Online Encyclopedia|accessdate=29 August 2008}}</ref> Fenerbahçe wanted him to transfer to the club but his father prevented it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://siyaset.milliyet.com.tr/fenerbahce-erdogan-i-transfer-etmek-istemis/siyaset/siyasetdetay/01.04.2013/1687933/default.htm|title=Fenerbahçe Erdoğan'ı transfer etmek istemiş|work=Milliyet|date=1 April 2013|accessdate=9 July 2013|language=Turkish|trans-title= Fenerbahçe wanted to transfer Erdoğan}}</ref> The stadium of the local football club in the district where he grew up, Kasımpaşa S.K. is named after him.

Erdoğan married Emine Gülbaran (born 1955, Siirt) on 4 July 1978.<ref name="milliyeterdoganbio">{{cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2007/08/29/son/sonsiy47.asp|title=Bakanlar Kurulu'nun özgeçmişi|publisher=''Milliyet''|date=29 August 2007|accessdate=22 April 2011|language=Turkish|trans-title=Ministers of the Board's CV}}</ref> They have two sons; Ahmet Burak and Necmettin Bilal, and two daughters, Esra and Sümeyye.<ref name="milliyeterdoganbio"/> His father, Ahmet Erdoğan, died in 1988 and his 88-year-old mother, Tenzile Erdoğan, died in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|title=Erdogan's Mother Tenzile Erdogan Dies of Acute Cholecystitis|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/124664/erdogan-39-s-mother-tenzile-erdogan-dies-of-acute-cholecystitis.html|accessdate=21 March 2014|newspaper=''Turkish Weekly''|date=7 October 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808055103/http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/124664/erdogan-39-s-mother-tenzile-erdogan-dies-of-acute-cholecystitis.html|archivedate=8 August 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He is a member of the Community of İskenderpaşa, a Turkish sufistic community of Naqshbandi tariqah.<ref>[http://www.eurasiareview.com/05092015-the-naqshbandi-khalidi-order-and-political-islam-in-turkey-analysis/ Eurasia Review: "The Naqshbandi-Khalidi Order And Political Islam In Turkey – Analysis" By Hudson Institute] 5 September 2015</ref><ref>[http://file.insightturkey.com/Files/Pdf/15_2_2013_heper.pdf Insight Turkey: "Islam, Conservatism, and Democracy in Turkey: Comparing Turgut Özal and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan" by METİN HEPER] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095616/http://file.insightturkey.com/Files/Pdf/15_2_2013_heper.pdf |date=4 March 2016 }} 15 February 2013</ref>

==Early political career==
While studying business administration{{citation needed|date=July 2018}} and playing semi-professional football, Erdoğan engaged in politics by joining the National Turkish Student Union, an [[Social:Anti-communism|anti-communist]] action group. In 1974, he wrote, directed and played the lead role in the play ''Maskomya'', which presented Freemasonry, [[Social:Communism|Communism]] and [[Religion:Judaism|Judaism]] as evil.<ref>{{cite web|title=Antisemitism in the Turkish Media (Part III): Targeting Turkey's Jewish Citizens|url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/1388.htm|publisher=''Middle East Media Research Institute''|accessdate=5 September 2011|date=6 June 2005}}</ref> In 1976, he became the head of the Beyoğlu youth branch of the Islamist National Salvation Party (MSP),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=the-making-of-tayyip-erdogan-2010-10-31|title=The making of Turkey's prime minister|work=Hürriyet Daily News|author=Mustafa Akyoldate=31 October 2010|accessdate=31 October 2010}}</ref> and was later promoted to chair of the Istanbul youth branch of the party.

After the 1980 military coup, Erdoğan followed most of Necmettin Erbakan's followers into the [[Religion:Islamic revival|Islamist]] Welfare Party. He became the party's Beyoğlu district chair in 1984, and in 1985 he became the chair of the Istanbul city branch. He was elected to parliament in 1991, but barred from taking his seat.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

===Mayor of Istanbul (1994–98)===
In the local elections of 27 March 1994, Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul, with a plurality (25.19%) of the popular vote. He was pragmatic in office, tackling many chronic problems in Istanbul including water shortage, pollution and traffic chaos. The water shortage problem was solved with the laying of hundreds of kilometers of new pipelines. The garbage problem was solved with the establishment of state-of-the-art recycling facilities. While Erdoğan was in office, air pollution was reduced through a plan developed to switch to natural gas. He changed the [[Engineering:Transit bus|public buses]] to environmentally friendly ones. The city's traffic and transportation jams were reduced with more than fifty bridges, viaducts, and highways built. He took precautions to prevent corruption, using measures to ensure that municipal funds were used prudently. He paid back a major portion of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's two billion dollar debt and invested four billion dollars in the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldleaders.columbia.edu/participants/recep-tayyip-erdo%C4%9F|title=Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated in the World Leaders Forum event, Turkey's Role in Shaping the Future, in November 2008|publisher=[[Organization:Columbia University|Columbia University]]|date=12 November 2008|accessdate=12 November 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609035001/http://www.worldleaders.columbia.edu/participants/recep-tayyip-erdo%C4%9F|archivedate=9 June 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Erdoğan initiated the first roundtable of mayors during the [[Engineering:Habitat II|Istanbul conference]], which led to a global, organized movement of mayors. A seven-member international jury from the United Nations unanimously awarded Erdoğan the UN-HABITAT award.<ref name="unhabitat3" />{{dead link|date=December 2014}}

===Imprisonment===
In 1998, the [[Religion:Islamic fundamentalism|fundamentalist]] Welfare Party was declared unconstitutional on the grounds of threatening the secularism of Turkey and was shut down by the Turkish constitutional court. Erdoğan became a prominent speaker at demonstrations held by his party colleagues.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite book|editor1-last=Rubin|editor1-first=Barry M.|editor2-last=Heper|editor2-first=Meten|title=Political Parties in Turkey|date=3 April 2002|url=https://books.google.com/?id=B71dAgAAQBAJ&pg=PP5&lpg=PP5&dq=Barry+M.+Rubin.+Political+Parties+in+Turkey#v=onepage&q=Barry%20M.%20Rubin.%20Political%20Parties%20in%20Turkey&f=false|publisher=Routledge|last=Yesilada|first=Birol A.|chapter=The Virtue Party|page=68|isbn=978-0714682471|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>

In December 1997 in Siirt, Erdoğan recited a poem  from a work written by Ziya Gökalp, a pan-Turkish activist of the early 20th century.<ref name="Turkey's Most Eluded Prime Minister">{{cite news|title=Turkey's Powerful Prime Minister: Who Can Challenge Erdogan?|author=Walter Mayr|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,495683,00.html|work=Der Spiegel|date=16 July 2007|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> His recitation included verses translated as "The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers...."<ref name="charismatic" /> which are not in the original version of the poem. Erdoğan said the poem had been approved by the education ministry to be published in textbooks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/11/magazine/the-erdogan-experiment.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|work=The New York Times|first=Deborah|last=Sontag|title=The Erdogan Experiment|date=11 May 2003|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> Under article 312/2 of the Turkish penal code his recitation was regarded as an incitement to violence and religious or racial hatred.<ref name="court">{{cite news |title=Erdoğan'a ceza şoku |author= |url=http://arsiv.zaman.com.tr/1998/04/22/guncel/all.html |newspaper=''Zaman'' |language=Turkish |date=22 April 1998 |accessdate=3 February 2007 |trans-title=Erdoğan's punishment shock |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531074150/http://arsiv.zaman.com.tr/1998/04/22/guncel/all.html |archivedate=31 May 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He was given a ten-month prison sentence of which he served four months, from 24 March 1999 to 27 July 1999.<ref name="erdogan-imprisoned"/>  Due to his conviction, Erdoğan was forced to give up his mayoral position. The conviction also stipulated a political ban, which prevented him from participating in parliamentary elections.<ref>{{cite news|title=Profile: Recep Tayyip Erdogan|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/turkeyelection/2011/05/2011526121054590355.html|accessdate=3 May 2017|work=Al Jazeera|date=27 May 2011}}</ref> He had appealed for the sentence to be converted to a monetary fine, but it was reduced to 120 days instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=Erdogan goes to prison|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-goes-to-prison.aspx?pageID=438&n=erdogan-goes-to-prison-1999-03-27|accessdate=3 May 2017|work=Hurriyet|date=27 March 1999|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420104656/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-goes-to-prison.aspx?pageID=438&n=erdogan-goes-to-prison-1999-03-27|archivedate=20 April 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 2017, this period of Erdoğan's life was made into a film titled ''Reis''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/15/the-chief-feature-film-trace-early-life-turkish-president-erdogan|title=The Chief: feature film to trace early life of Turkish president|last=France-Presse|first=Agence|date=15 January 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|language=English|issn=0261-3077|access-date=30 October 2016}}</ref>

==Prime Minister (2003–14)==
[[File:Erdoğan, 2012 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Erdoğan making a [[Social:Press release|press release]] at the Prime Minister's Office in Ankara]]

===General elections===
[[File:RTE seçim pankartı.jpg|thumb|left|An election campaign poster featuring Erdoğan: "Istanbul is Ready, Target 2023", Taksim Square, Istanbul.]]
In 2001, Erdoğan established the Justice and Development Party (AKP).{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} The elections of 2002 were the first elections in which Erdoğan participated as a party leader. All parties previously elected to parliament failed to win enough votes to re-enter the parliament. The AKP won 34.3% of the national vote and formed the new government. Turkish stocks rose more than 7% on Monday morning. Politicians of the previous generation, such as [[Biography:Bülent Ecevit|Ecevit]], [[Biography:Devlet Bahçeli|Bahceli]], Yılmaz and Çiller, resigned. The second largest party, the CHP, received 19.4% of the votes. The AKP won a landslide victory in the parliament, taking nearly two-thirds of the seats. Erdoğan could not become Prime Minister as he was still banned from politics by the judiciary for his speech in Siirt. Gül became the Prime Minister instead. In December 2002, the Supreme Election Board canceled the general election results from Siirt due to voting irregularities and scheduled a new election for 9 February 2003. By this time, party leader Erdoğan was able to run for parliament due to a legal change made possible by the opposition Republican People's Party. The AKP duly listed Erdoğan as a candidate for the rescheduled election, which he won, becoming Prime Minister after Gül handed over the post.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/11/turkey.elections/|title=Turkish PM quits for Erdogan|date=11 March 2003|publisher=''CNN''|accessdate=28 July 2012}}</ref>

[[File:2014 Turkish Presidential Election campaign.jpg|thumb|Posters of Erdoğan and his rival Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu during 2014 presidential election, Istanbul]]

On 14 April 2007, an estimated 300,000 people marched in [[Place:Ankara|Ankara]] to protest against the possible candidacy of Erdoğan in the 2007 presidential election, afraid that if elected as President, he would alter the secular nature of the Turkish state.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6554851.stm|title=Secular rally targets Turkish PM|publisher=''BBC News''|date=14 April 2007|accessdate=6 December 2014}}</ref> Erdoğan announced on 24 April 2007 that the party had nominated Abdullah Gül as the AKP candidate in the presidential election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/articles/139006/turkish-foreign-minister-to-stand-for-presidency|title=Turkish foreign minister to stand for presidency|publisher=''Al-Jazeera''|date=25 April 2007|accessdate=6 December 2014}}</ref> The protests continued over the next several weeks, with over one million people reported to have turned out at a 29 April rally in Istanbul,<ref name= Reuters29>{{cite news|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL2910950920070429|title=One million Turks rally against government|work={{wipe|Reuters}}|accessdate=30 April 2007|date=29 April 2007|last=De Bendern|first=Paul}}</ref> tens of thousands at separate protests on 4 May in Manisa and Çanakkale,<ref name="Milliyet">{{cite web|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2007/05/04/guncel/axgun01.html|title=Saylan: Manisa mitingi önemli|work=Milliyet|language=Turkish|trans-title=Saylan: Important rally in Manisa|last=Avci|first=Ümran|accessdate=4 May 2007|date=4 May 2007}}</ref> and one million in İzmir on 13 May.<ref name="swissinfo">{{cite web|url=http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Turks_protest_ahead_of_early_elections.html?siteSect=143&sid=7813908&cKey=1179061645000|title=Turks protest ahead of early elections|work=Swissinfo|date=13 May 2007|accessdate=13 May 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930222218/http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Turks_protest_ahead_of_early_elections.html?siteSect=143&sid=7813908&cKey=1179061645000|archivedate=30 September 2007|last=De Bendern|first=Paul}}</ref>

The stage of the elections of 2007 was set for a fight for legitimacy in the eyes of voters between his government and the CHP. Erdoğan used the event that took place during the ill-fated Presidential elections a few months earlier as a part of the general election campaign of his party. On 22 July 2007, the AKP won an important victory over the opposition, garnering 46.7% of the popular vote. 22 July elections marked only the second time in the Republic of Turkey's history whereby an incumbent governing party won an election by increasing its share of popular support.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mesajı anladık |author=Turan Yılmaz |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/secim/6942407.asp |newspaper=Hürriyet |language=Turkish|trans-title=Message understood |date=23 July 2007 |place=Ankara |accessdate=30 July 2012}}</ref> On 14 March 2008, Turkey's Chief Prosecutor asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban Erdoğan's governing party.<ref name="akptrial1">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7482793.stm|title=Turkish ruling party put on trial|work=BBC News|accessdate=1 February 2009|date=1 July 2008}}</ref> The party escaped a ban on 30 July 2008, a year after winning 46.7% of the vote in national elections, although judges did cut the party's public funding by 50%.<ref name="akptrial2">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7533414.stm|title=Turkey's ruling party escapes ban|work=BBC News|accessdate=1 February 2009|date=30 July 2008}}</ref>

In the June 2011 elections, Erdoğan's governing party won 327 seats (49.83% of the popular vote) making Erdoğan the only prime minister in Turkey's history to win three consecutive general elections, each time receiving more votes than the previous election. The second party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), received 135 seats (25.94%), the nationalist MHP received 53 seats (13.01%), and the Independents received 35 seats (6.58%).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/116073/turkey-39-s-ruling-ak-party-wins-elections-with-49-83-percent-vote.html|title=Turkey's Ruling AK Party Wins Elections with 49.83 Percent Vote|work=The journal of Turkish Weekly|accessdate=6 December 2014|date=13 June 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209195647/http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/116073/turkey-39-s-ruling-ak-party-wins-elections-with-49-83-percent-vote.html|archivedate=9 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Kurdish issue===
In 2009, Prime Minister Erdoğan's government announced a plan to help end the quarter-century-long Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict that had cost more than 40,000 lives. The government's plan, supported by the [[Social:European Union|European Union]], allowed the Kurdish language to be used in all broadcast media and political campaigns, and restored Kurdish names to cities and towns that had been given Turkish ones.<ref name="Arsu">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/europe/14kurds.html|title=Turkey Plans to Ease Restrictions on Kurds and Help End Decades of Conflict|work=New York Times|date=13 November 2009|accessdate=17 November 2009|first=Sebnem|last=Arsu}}</ref> Erdoğan said, "We took a courageous step to resolve chronic issues that constitute an obstacle along Turkey's development, progression and empowerment".<ref name="Arsu"/> Erdoğan passed a partial amnesty to reduce penalties faced by many members of the Kurdish guerrilla movement PKK who had surrendered to the government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108054.html?pageno=4|title=Attempts to Improve the Government|publisher=infoplease.com|accessdate=28 July 2012}}</ref> On 23 November 2011, during a televised meeting of his party in Ankara, he apologised on behalf of the state for the Dersim massacre, where many Alevis and Zazas were killed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkey apologises for 1930s killing of thousands of Kurds|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/8910369/Turkey-apologises-for-1930s-killing-of-thousands-of-Kurds.html|accessdate=24 November 2011|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=24 November 2011|location=London}}</ref>

===Armenian Genocide===
Prime Minister Erdoğan expressed multiple times that Turkey would acknowledge the mass killings of up to 1.5&nbsp;million Armenians during World War I as genocide only after a thorough investigation by a joint Turkish-Armenian commission consisting of historians, archaeologists, political scientists and other experts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/14395/conversation_with_recep_tayyip_erdogan_rush_transcript_federal_news_service.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20120530032729/http://www.cfr.org/publication/14395/conversation_with_recep_tayyip_erdogan_rush_transcript_federal_news_service.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=30 May 2012|title=A Conversation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan|date=27 September 2007|publisher=Council on Foreign Relations|accessdate=29 July 2012}}</ref><ref name="Erdoganspeech">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqcjaPsJHXI|title=Turkish Prime Minister talks about Armenian genocide|date=9 February 2008|publisher=YouTube}}</ref>{{better source|date=August 2013}} In 2005, Erdoğan and the main opposition party leader Deniz Baykal wrote a letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian, proposing the creation of a joint Turkish-Armenian commission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkishembassy.com/ii/O/ErdogantoKocaryan.htm|title=Letter sent by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan|author=Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|date=10 April 2005|publisher=Turkish Embassy|accessdate=29 July 2013|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005001307/http://www.turkishembassy.com/ii/O/ErdogantoKocaryan.htm|archivedate=5 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian rejected the offer because he asserted that the proposal itself was "insincere and not serious." He added: "This issue cannot be considered at historical level with Turks, who themselves politicized the problem."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/8050/|title=Yerevan Rejects Turkish PM Erdogan's Dialogue Letter|date=14 April 2005|work=The Journal of Turkish Weekly|accessdate=29 July 2013|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004232232/http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/8050/|archivedate=4 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Peaceful Co-Existence of Armenia and Turkey Possible|url=http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/19638/|agency=PanArmenian|date=16 October 2006}}</ref>

In December 2008, Erdoğan criticised the I Apologize campaign by Turkish intellectuals to recognize the Armenian Genocide, saying, "I neither accept nor support this campaign. We did not commit a crime, therefore we do not need to apologise&nbsp;... It will not have any benefit other than stirring up trouble, disturbing our peace and undoing the steps which have been taken."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/dec/18/armenian-genocide-apology-turkish-rebuttal|title=Turkish PM dismisses apology for alleged Armenian genocide|newspaper=''The Guardian''|date=18 November 2008|accessdate=1 July 2011|last=Tait|first=Robert}}</ref> In November 2009, he said, "it is not possible for those who belong to the Muslim faith to carry out genocide."<ref>{{cite news|title=Sudanese President Bashir's visit to Turkey in limbo|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/default.aspx?pageid=438&n=a-muslim-can-never-commit-genocide-erdogan-defends-bashir-2009-11-08|accessdate=25 August 2013|newspaper=''Hürriyet Daily News''|date=11 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Freedman|first=Seth|title=Erdogan's blind faith in Muslims|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/nov/11/erdogan-muslims-turkish-sudan-gaza|accessdate=25 August 2013|newspaper=''{{wipe|The Guardian}}''|date=11 November 2009}}</ref>
[[File:Monument to Humanity by Mehmet Aksoy in Kars, Turkey.jpg|thumbnail|250px|In 2011, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ordered the Monument to Humanity, a statue dedicated to fostering Armenian and Turkish relations, to be destroyed.]]
In 2011, Erdoğan ordered the tearing-down of the Statue of Humanity, a Turkish-Armenian friendship monument in Kars, which was commissioned in 2006 and represented a metaphor of the rapprochement of the two countries after many years of dispute over the events of 1915. Erdoğan justified the removal by stating that the monument was offensively close to the tomb of an 11th-century Islamic scholar, and that its shadow ruined the view of that site, while Kars municipality officials said it was illegally erected in a protected area. However, the former mayor of Kars who approved the original construction of the monument said the municipality was destroying not just a "monument to humanity" but "humanity itself". The demolition was not unopposed; among its detractors were several Turkish artists. Two of them, the painter Bedri Baykam and his associate, Pyramid Art Gallery general coordinator Tugba Kurtulmus, were stabbed after a meeting with other artists at the Istanbul Akatlar cultural center.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/default.aspx?pageid=438&n=turkish-painter-stabbed-at-meeting-for-8216humanity-movement8217-2011-04-18|title=Turkish painter stabbed in Istanbul after 'humanity monument' meeting|date=18 April 2011|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=Hürriyet Daily News}}</ref>

On 23 April 2014, Erdoğan's office issued a statement in nine languages (including two dialects of Armenian), offering condolences for the mass killings of Armenians and stating that the events of 1915 had inhumane consequences. The statement described the mass killings as the two nations' shared pain and said: "Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences – such as relocation – during the First World War, (it) should not prevent Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes among one another".<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkey offers condolences to Armenia over WWI killings|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27131543|date=23 April 2014|accessdate=3 June 2014|publisher=''BBC''}}</ref>

===Human rights===
During Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister, the far-reaching powers of the 1991 Anti-Terror Law were reduced and the Democratic initiative process was initiated, with the goal to improve democratic standards in general and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in particular. However, after Turkey's bid to join the [[Social:European Union|European Union]] stalled, European officials noted a return to more authoritarian ways,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/inching-away-from-democracy-/73249.aspx|title=Inching away from democracy?|date=19 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012|publisher=''European Voice''|last=Vogel|first=Toby}}</ref> notably on [[Philosophy:Freedom of speech|freedom of speech]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/126641-students-stay-5-more-months-in-prison-for-posting-banner|title=Students Stay 5 more Months in Prison for Posting Banner|work=Bianet|date=16 December 2010|accessdate=26 January 2012|last=Tapan|first=Berivan}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/135565-hopa-demonstrations-stones-considered-as-weapons|title=Hopa Demonstrations: Stones Considered as Weapons|work=Bianet|date=19 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/126642-two-year-prison-threat-for-egg-throwing|title=Two-Year Prison Threat for Egg Throwing|work=Bianet|date=16 December 2010|accessdate=26 January 2012|last=Belge|first=Berçin}}</ref> freedom of the press<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/world/europe/turkeys-glow-dims-as-government-limits-free-speech.html?_r=1|title=Charges Against Journalists Dim the Democratic Glow in Turkey|work=The New York Times|date=4 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012|first1=Dan|last1=Bilefsky|first2=Sebnem|last2=Arsu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/135635-journalists-are-in-prison-because-of-their-writings|title=Journalists are in Prison Because of their Writings|work=Bianet|date=23 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012|last=Söylemez|first=Ayça}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/135464-first-hearing-of-journalists-after-13-months-of-pre-trial-detention|title=First Hearing of Journalists after 13 Months of Pre-Trial Detention|work=Bianet|date=16 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012|last=Söylemez|first=Ayça}}</ref> and Kurdish minority rights.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2011/12/turkish-crackdown-on-kurdish-journalists/|title=Turkish crackdown on Kurdish Journalists|work=Xindex|date=22 January 2011|accessdate=26 January 2012|last=Genc|first=Kaya}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/minorities/122151-kurdish-artist-faces-15-years-in-jail|title=Kurdish Artist Faces 15 Years in Jail|work=Bianet|date=21 May 2010|accessdate=26 January 2012|first=Erol|last=Önderoğlu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/minorities/135496-31-people-arrested|title=31 People Arrested|work=Bianet|date=17 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/minorities/135456-crackdowns-on-kesk-and-bdp|title=Crackdowns on KESK and BDP|work=Bianet|date=12 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref> Demands by activists for the recognition of LGBT rights were publicly rejected by government members,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2008/01/28/siyaset/asiy.html|title=Eşcinseller de eşitlik istiyor, verecek miyiz?|language=Turkish|trans-title=Homosexuals can keep demanding rights as they never going to get any|work=Milliyet|date=29 January 2008|accessdate=26 January 2012|last1=Çolak|first1=Saliha|last2=Karakus|first2=Abdullah}}</ref> and members of the Turkish LGBT community were insulted by cabinet members.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/default.aspx?pageid=438&n=8216homosexuality-is-a-disease8217-says-minister-2010-03-07|title='Homosexulaty is a disease' says Turkish minister|work=Hürriyet|date=7 March 2010|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref>
[[Image:President George W. Bush meets with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, in the Oval Office..jpg|thumb|right|President George W. Bush meets with Erdoğan in the Oval Office on 5 November 2007]]

Reporters Without Borders observed a continuous decrease in Freedom of the Press during Erdoğan's later terms, with a rank of around 100 on the Press Freedom Index during his first term and a rank of 154 out of a total of 179 countries in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html |title=Press Freedom Index 2013 |accessdate=15 June 2013 |publisher=Reporters without Borders |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215183842/http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013%2C1054.html |archivedate=15 February 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> [[Organization:Freedom House|Freedom House]] saw a slight recovery in later years and awarded Turkey a Press Freedom Score of 55/100 in 2012 after a low point of 48/100 in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2012/turkey|title=Freedom of the Press 2012|publisher=[[Organization:Freedom House|Freedom House]]|accessdate=15 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/128639-freedom-house-critic-of-press-freedom-in-turkey|title=Freedom House Critic of Press Freedom in Turkey|work=Bianet|date=17 March 2011|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/world/135713-turkey-loses-ground-again-in-world-press-freedom-index|title=Turkey Loses Ground again in World Press Freedom Index|work=Bianet|date=26 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/130376/press-freedom-39-terrible-39-in-turkey-watch-group.html|title=Press Freedom 'Terrible' in Turkey: Watch Group|work=Journal of Turkish Weekly|date=23 January 2012|accessdate=26 January 2012}}</ref>

In 2011, Erdoğan's government made legal reforms to return properties of Christian and Jewish minorities which were seized by the Turkish government in the 1930s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkish Government to Return Seized Property to Religious Minorities|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/world/europe/29turkey.html?_r=0|date=28 August 2011|publisher=''The New York Times''|last=Arsu|first=Sebnem|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> The total value of the properties returned reached $2&nbsp;billion (USD).<ref>{{cite news|first=Egemen|last=Bağış|title=Azınlıklara 2 milyar dolarlık mülk verdik|language=Turkish|trans-title=Minorities have $2&nbsp;billion in property|url=http://www.hristiyangazete.com/2013/05/egemen-bagis-azinliklara-2-milyar-dolarlik-mulk-verdik/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510220056/http://www.hristiyangazete.com/2013/05/egemen-bagis-azinliklara-2-milyar-dolarlik-mulk-verdik/|dead-url=yes|archive-date=10 May 2015|publisher=Hristiyan Gazete|date=31 May 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>

Under Erdoğan, the Turkish government tightened the laws on the sale and consumption of alcohol, banning all advertising and increasing the tax on alcoholic beverages.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/24/us-turkey-alcohol-idUSBRE94N0IA20130524|title=Turkey bans alcohol advertising and curbs sales|publisher=Reuters|date=24 May 2013|accessdate=27 May 2013|last=Ozbilgin|first=Ozbe}}</ref>

===Economy===
[[File:Turkey Unemployment.png|thumb|Unemployment rate of Turkey between 2000 and 2014]]
[[File:Putin Erdogan Berlusconi.JPG|thumb|left|Erdoğan, Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi at the opening of the Blue Stream gas pipeline in November 2005]]
In 2002, Erdoğan inherited a Turkish economy that was beginning to recover from a recession as a result of reforms implemented by Kemal Derviş.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cjpme.org/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=2163&SaveMode=0|title=The Turkish Model of Government|date=March 2012|publisher=Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East|accessdate=28 July 2012|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324095757/http://www.cjpme.org/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=2163&SaveMode=0|archivedate=24 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Erdoğan supported Finance Minister Ali Babacan in enforcing macro-economic policies. Erdoğan tried to attract more foreign investors to Turkey and lifted many government regulations. The cash-flow into the Turkish economy between 2002 and 2012 caused a growth of 64% in real GDP and a 43% increase in GDP per capita; considerably higher numbers were commonly advertised but these did not account for the inflation of the US dollar between 2002 and 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rodrik|first=Dani|url=http://rodrik.typepad.com/dani_rodriks_weblog/2013/06/how-well-did-the-turkish-economy-do-over-the-last-decade.html|title=How well did the Turkish economy do over the last decade|accessdate=11 July 2013|date=20 June 2013}}{{Self-published inline|date=December 2014}}</ref> The average annual growth in GDP per capita was 3.6%. The growth in real GDP between 2002 and 2012 was higher than the values from developed countries, but was close to average when developing countries are also taken into account. The ranking of the Turkish economy in terms of GDP moved slightly from 17 to 16 during this decade. A major consequence of the policies between 2002 and 2012 was the widening of the current account deficit from 600 million USD to 58 billion USD (2013 est.)<ref>Central Intelligence Agency. "The CIA World Factbook 2015", Skyhorse Publishing, p. 753.</ref>

Since 1961, Turkey has signed 19 IMF loan accords. Erdoğan's government satisfied the budgetary and market requirements of the two during his administration and received every loan installment, the only time any Turkish government has done so.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a.Xr1ajJU15A | title=Erdogan's IMF Aversion, Budget Raise Business Qualms | work=Bloomberg L.P.|date=10 November 2008|accessdate=1 February 2009 | last1=Holland | first1=Ben | last2=Bryant | first2=Steve}}</ref> Erdoğan inherited a debt of $23.5&nbsp;billion to the IMF, which was reduced to $0.9&nbsp;billion in 2012. He decided not to sign a new deal. Turkey's debt to the IMF was thus declared to be completely paid and he announced that the IMF could borrow from Turkey.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=flirting-with-imf-comes-to-an-end-2010-03-10|title=Turkey's flirting with IMF comes to an end|work=Hürriyet Daily News|date=10 March 2010|accessdate=10 March 2010}}</ref> In 2010, five-year [[Finance:Credit default swap|credit default swap]]s for Turkey's sovereign debt were trading at a record low of 1.17%, below those of nine EU member countries and Russia. In 2002, the Turkish Central Bank had $26.5&nbsp;billion in reserves. This amount reached $92.2&nbsp;billion in 2011. During Erdoğan's leadership, inflation fell from 32% to 9.0% in 2004. Since then, Turkish inflation has continued to fluctuate around 9% and is still one of the highest inflation rates in the world.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/ekonomi/13381334.asp|title=Enflasyon 2009'u 39 yılın 'dibinde' bitirdi|language=Turkish|trans-title=2009 inflation finished at 39-year low|work=Hürriyet|first=Nilgün|last=Karatas|date=5 January 2010|accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref> The Turkish public debt as a percentage of annual GDP declined from 74% in 2002 to 39% in 2009. In 2012, Turkey had a lower ratio of public debt to GDP than 21 of 27 members of the European Union and a lower budget deficit to GDP ratio than 23 of them.<ref>{{cite news |title=Erdogan Proving Right as Debt Ratings Go Unheeded: Turkey Credit |author=Benjamin Harvey |url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-27/erdogan-proving-right-as-debt-ratings-go-unheeded-turkey-credit#p2 |newspaper=Bloomberg |date=27 June 2012 |accessdate=30 July 2012}}</ref>

In 2003, Erdoğan's government pushed through the Labor Act, a comprehensive reform of Turkey's labor laws. The law greatly expanded the rights of employees, establishing a 45-hour workweek and limiting overtime work to 270 hours a year, provided legal protection against discrimination due to sex, religion, or political affiliation, prohibited discrimination between permanent and temporary workers, entitled employees terminated without "valid cause" to compensation, and mandated written contracts for employment arrangements lasting a year or more.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crossborderemployer.com/post/2012/11/28/Turkey-Continues-Its-Reform-Of-Labor-And-Employment-Laws-Despite-Waning-Enthusiasm-For-EU-Membership.aspx|title=Turkey Continues Its Reform of Labor And Employment Laws Despite Waning Enthusiasm For EU Membership|author=Roland De Monte|date=|work=crossborderemployer.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.invest.gov.tr/en-US/investmentguide/investorsguide/employeesandsocialsecurity/Pages/TermsOfEmployment.aspx|title=Terms of Employment  – Invest in Turkey|author=|date=|work=invest.gov.tr}}</ref>

===Education===
Erdoğan increased the budget of the Ministry of Education from 7.5&nbsp;billion lira in 2002 to 34&nbsp;billion lira in 2011, the highest share of the national budget given to one ministry.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bir numaralı bütçe Eğitim'e|author=Haberi Yazdir|url=http://www.yenisafak.com.tr/politika/bir-numarali-butce-egitime-151265|newspaper=Yeni Şafak|language=Turkish|trans-title=The number one budget to education|date=31 August 2008|accessdate=5 December 2010}}</ref> Before his prime ministership the military received the highest share of the national budget. [[Social:Compulsory education|Compulsory education]] was increased from eight years to twelve.<ref>{{cite news|title=Compulsory education to be increased to 12 years in Turkey|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action;jsessionid=AE94F068CFA327ECCF1188D64D19F795?newsId=267701|newspaper=''Today's Zaman''|date=5 January 2012|accessdate=31 July 2012|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224084835/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action%3Bjsessionid%3DAE94F068CFA327ECCF1188D64D19F795?newsId=267701|archivedate=24 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 2003, the Turkish government, together with UNICEF, started a campaign called "Come on girls, let's go to school!" ({{lang-tr|Haydi Kızlar Okula!}}). The goal of this campaign was to close the gender-gap in primary school enrollment through the provision of a quality basic education for all girls, especially in southeast Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unicef.org/turkey/pdf/ge6a.pdf|title=Haydi Kızlar Okula! The Girls' Education Campaign in Turkey|publisher=UNICEF|accessdate=28 July 2012}}</ref>

In 2005, the parliament granted amnesty to students expelled from universities before 2003. The amnesty applied to students dismissed on academic or disciplinary grounds.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amnesty For University Students|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04E3DF173DF937A15751C0A9639C8B63|newspaper=The New York Times|date=24 February 2005|accessdate=30 July 2012}}</ref> In 2004, textbooks became free of charge and since 2008 every province in Turkey has its own university.<ref>{{cite news|title=Üniversitesiz il kalmadı|url=http://siyaset.milliyet.com.tr/universitesiz-il-kalmadi/siyaset/siyasetdetay/23.05.2008/758364/default.htm|newspaper=Milliyet|date=23 May 2008|accessdate=2 July 2011|language=Turkish|trans-title=University in last province}}</ref> During Erdoğan's Premiership, the number of universities in Turkey nearly doubled, from 98 in 2002 to 186 in October 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haberler.com/sahin-universite-sayisi-186-ya-ulasti-3987342-haberi/|title=Şahin: Üniversite Sayısı 186'ya Ulaştı haberi|publisher=Haberler.com|date=3 October 2012|accessdate=10 December 2012|language=Turkish|trans-title=Şahin: Number of universities reaches 186}}</ref>

The Prime Minister kept his campaign promises by starting the f@tih project in which all state schools, from preschool to high school level, received a total of 620,000 smart boards, while tablet computers were distributed to 17 million students and approximately one million teachers and administrators.<ref>{{cite news|title=PM Erdoğan realizes a world's first in education|url=http://www.usasabah.com/EnglishNews/2012/02/08/pm-erdogan-realizes-a-worlds-first-in-education|newspaper=Sabah|date=8 February 2012|accessdate=31 July 2012}}</ref>

In June 2017 a draft proposal by the ministry of education was approved by Erdoğan, in which the curriculum for schools excluded the teaching of the theory of [[Biology:Darwinism|evolution of Charles Darwin]] by 2019. From then on the teaching will be postponed and start at undergraduate level.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/23/turkey-will-stop-teaching-evolution-schools-education-ministry/ |title=Turkey will stop teaching evolution in schools, education ministry says  |last=Sanchez |first=Raf |date=23 June 2017 |website=telegraph.co.uk |access-date=24 June 2017}}</ref>

===Infrastructure===
Under Erdoğan's government, the number of airports in Turkey increased from 26 to 50.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gundem.bugun.com.tr/yuzde-50nin-degil--haberi/655153|title=Başbakan Erdoğan'dan gece yarısı mesajı|work=Bugun|date=7 July 2013|accessdate=9 July 2013|language=Turkish|trans-title=Prime Minister Erdogan's midnight message|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719043902/http://gundem.bugun.com.tr/yuzde-50nin-degil--haberi/655153|archivedate=19 July 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Between the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 and 2002, there had been 6000&nbsp;km of dual carriageway roads created. Between 2002 and 2011, another 13500&nbsp;km of expressway were built. Due to these measures, the number of motor accidents fell by 50 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/sehir_duble-yollar-uzadi-kaza-ve-olumler-yuzde-50-azaldi_1080097.html|title=Duble yollar uzadı; kaza ve ölümler yüzde 50 azaldı|work=Zaman|date=17 January 2011|accessdate=9 July 2013|language=Turkish|trans-title=Dual roads extended: accidents and deaths decreased by 50 percent|first=Yasin|last=Kiliç|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203014540/http://www.zaman.com.tr/sehir_duble-yollar-uzadi-kaza-ve-olumler-yuzde-50-azaldi_1080097.html|archivedate=3 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> For the first time in Turkish history, high speed railway lines were constructed, and the country's high-speed train service began in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&link=169502|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001817/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&link=169502|dead-url=yes|archive-date=3 December 2013|title=High-speed train begins its first travel btw Ankara-Eskişehir|work=Today's Zaman|date=13 March 2009|accessdate=9 July 2013}}</ref> In 8 years, 1076&nbsp;km of railway were built and 5449&nbsp;km of railway renewed. The construction of Marmaray, an undersea rail tunnel under the Bosphorus strait, started in 2004. When completed, it will be the world's deepest undersea [[Engineering:Immersed tube|immersed tube tunnel]].{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} Construction of the 1.9&nbsp;km long Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge began in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/36638--turkey-unveils-route-for-istanbul-s-third-bridge|title=Turkey Unveils Route for Istanbul's Third Bridge|publisher=Anatolian Agency|date=29 April 2010|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> The chosen name for the bridge led to protests by Alevis in Turkey because of the role Sultan Selim I, nicknamed "the Grim" due to his cruelty, played in the Ottoman persecution of Alevis.<ref>{{cite web|language=German|first=Christiane|last=Schlötzer|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/bauprojekte-in-der-tuerkei-erdogans-osmanische-traeume-1.1686571|title=Osmanische Träume: Bauprojekte in der Türkei|work=Süddeutsche.de|date=3 June 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014|trans-title=Ottoman Dreams: Construction projects in Turkey}}</ref>

===Justice===
In March 2006, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) held a press conference to publicly protest the obstruction of the appointment of judges to the high courts for over 10 months. The HSYK said Erdoğan wanted to fill the vacant posts with his own appointees. Erdoğan was accused of creating a rift with Turkey's highest court of appeal, the ''Yargıtay'', and high administrative court, the ''Danıştay''. Erdoğan stated that the constitution gave the power to assign these posts to his elected party.<ref name="erdogancourtelection">{{cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/national_rift-deepens-between-govt-top-court-with-pms-heavy-criticism_344553.html|title=Rift deepens between government, top court with PM's heavy criticism|date=13 April 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=''Today's Zaman''|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208052922/http://www.todayszaman.com/national_rift-deepens-between-govt-top-court-with-pms-heavy-criticism_344553.html|archivedate=8 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In May 2007, the head of Turkey's High Court asked prosecutors to consider whether Erdoğan should be charged over critical comments regarding the election of Abdullah Gül as President.<ref name="erdogancourtelection"/> Erdoğan said the ruling was "a disgrace to the justice system", and criticized the Constitutional Court which had invalidated a presidential vote because a boycott by other parties meant there was no [[Social:Quorum|quorum]]. Prosecutors investigated his earlier comments, including saying it had fired a "bullet at democracy". Tülay Tuğcu, head of the Constitutional Court, condemned Erdoğan for "threats, insults and hostility" towards the justice system.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6705241.stm|title=Turkish court condemns PM Erdoğan|publisher=''BBC News''|date=30 May 2007|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>

The Turkish parliament agreed to reduce the [[Social:Age of candidacy|age of candidacy]] to the parliament from 30 to 25 and abolished the death penalty in all instances, including war time.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

===Women and demographics===
Erdoğan supported the continuation of Turkey's high population growth rate and, in 2008, commented that to ensure the Turkish population remained young every family would need to have at least three children.<ref name="three_children">{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/8401981.asp|title=Erdoğan: En az üç çocuk doğurun|language=Turkish|work=Hürriyet|date=7 March 2008|accessdate=3 December 2014|trans-title=Erdogan: Birth at least three children|last1=Çetik|first1=Arzu|last2=Gültekín|first2=Turan|first3=Yavuz|last3=Kusdemir}}</ref><ref name="three_children2">{{cite news|url=http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/438418.asp|title=Başbakan'dan kadınlara '3 çocuk' mesajı|publisher=''NTVMSNBC''|date=10 March 2008|accessdate=3 December 2014|language=Turkish|trans-title=Prime Minister '3 children' message to women|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706032009/http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/438418.asp|archivedate=6 July 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He repeated this statement on numerous occasions.<ref name="three_children_again">{{cite news|url=http://www.haberturk.com/yasam/haber/535469-basbakan-yine-uc-cocuk-istedi|title=Başbakan yine üç çocuk istedi|publisher=''HaberTurk''|date=23 July 2010|accessdate=3 December 2014|trans-title=Prime Minister again asks for three children|language=Turkish|first1=Bülent|last1=Civenoğlu|first2=Uğur|last2=Uslubas}}</ref> In 2010, Turkey's population was estimated at 73,700,000, with a growth rate of 1.21% per annum (2009 figure).<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/PreHaberBultenleri.do?id=8428|publisher=Turkish Statistical Institute|title=Address based population registration system results of 2010|date=28 January 2011|accessdate=1 July 2011}}</ref>

On 26 May 2012, answering the question of a reporter after a UN conference on population and development in Turkey, Erdoğan said that abortion is murder, saying, "You either kill a baby in the mother's womb or you kill it after birth. In many cases [not all], there's no difference."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news|url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/fury-turkeys-women-pm-likens-abortion-murder|title=Fury of Turkey's women as PM likens abortion to murder|publisher=Radio Netherlands worldwide|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=28 May 2012|accessdate=10 December 2012|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208201609/http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/fury-turkeys-women-pm-likens-abortion-murder|archivedate=8 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Erdoğan has stated that he opposes Turkey's high and growing rate of [[Medicine:Caesarean section|caesarean section]] births because he believes that they reduce the fertility of Turkish women, and he is in favor of limiting the number of such births in Turkish hospitals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bianet.org/english/people/138684-why-do-we-need-caesarean-section-and-abortion|title=Why Do We Need Caesarean Section and Abortion?|author=Nilay Vardar|date=28 May 2012|publisher=Bianet|accessdate=29 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Number of C-section births on rise in Turkey, causing concerns|author=İpek Üzüm|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=282315|newspaper=''Today's Zaman''|date=3 June 2012|accessdate=29 July 2012|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604130349/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=282315|archivedate=4 June 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In a 2010 meeting with women NGO representatives, asked why he kept addressing them exclusively as mothers, Erdoğan said: "I do not believe in the equality of men and women. I believe in equal opportunities. Men and women are different and complementary."<ref>{{cite web |author=Deniz Kandiyoti |title=A tangled web: the politics of gender in Turkey |work=openDemocracy |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/deniz-kandiyoti/tangled-web-politics-of-gender-in-turkey |date=5 January 2011 |accessdate=19 July 2016}}</ref> In 2014, he addressed the Istanbul ''Women and Justice Summit'' of the Women and Democracy Association ({{lang-tr|Kadın ve Demokrasi Derneği}}, or KADEM): "Our religion [Islam] has defined a position for women [in society]: motherhood. You cannot explain this to feminists because they don't accept the concept of motherhood." Calling for "equivalency" between the genders, he stated: "You cannot bring women and men into equal positions; that is against nature because their nature is different," while reaffirming that full equality regardless of gender before the law should be maintained.<ref>{{citation |title=Turkish president Erdogan: Women are not equal to men, should accept motherhood as societal role |newspaper=Jerusalem Post |url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Edogan-Women-are-not-equal-to-men-should-accept-motherhood-as-societal-role-382701 |date=24 November 2014 |accessdate=19 July 2016}}</ref>

===Health care===
After assuming power in 2003, Erdoğan's government embarked on a sweeping reform program of the Turkish healthcare system, called the Health Transformation Program (HTP), to greatly increase the quality of healthcare and protect all citizens from financial risks. Its introduction coincided with the period of sustained economic growth, allowing the Turkish government to put greater investments into the healthcare system. As part of the reforms, the "Green Card" program, which provides health benefits to the poor, was expanded in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1410433?rss=searchAndBrowse&|title=MMS: Error|volume=373|issue=14|pages=1285|author=|date=|work=nejm.org|doi=10.1056/NEJMp1410433|year=2015|last1=Atun|first1=Rifat}}</ref> The reform program aimed at increasing the ratio of private to state-run healthcare, which, along with long queues in state-run hospitals, resulted in the rise of private medical care in Turkey, forcing state-run hospitals to compete by increasing quality.
 
In April 2006, Erdoğan unveiled a social security reform package demanded by the [[Organization:International Monetary Fund|International Monetary Fund]] under a loan deal. The move, which Erdoğan called one of the most radical reforms ever, was passed with fierce opposition. Turkey's three social security bodies were united under one roof, bringing equal health services and retirement benefits for members of all three bodies. The previous system had been criticized for reserving the best healthcare for civil servants and relegating others to wait in long queues. Under the second bill, everyone under the age of 18 years was entitled to free health services, irrespective of whether they pay premiums to any social security organization. The bill also envisages a gradual increase in the retirement age: starting from 2036, the retirement age will increase to 65 by 2048 for both women and men.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/business_social-security-law-finally-passes-in-parliament_139477.html|accessdate=3 December 2014|title=Social security law finally passes in Parliament|work=''Today's Zaman''|date=19 April 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208052032/http://www.todayszaman.com/business_social-security-law-finally-passes-in-parliament_139477.html|archivedate=8 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In January 2008, the Turkish Parliament adopted a law to prohibit smoking in most public places. Erdoğan is outspokenly anti-smoking.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnnturk.com/2010/turkiye/02/04/erdogan.sigara.terorden.tehlikeli/562365.0/|accessdate=24 October 2011|trans-title=Erdoğan: Smoking is more dangerous than terror|publisher=CNN Türk|date=4 February 2010|language=Turkish|title=Erdoğan: "Sigara terörden tehlikeli"}}</ref>

===2007 and 2010 Constitutional Referendums===
After the opposition parties deadlocked the 2007 presidential election by boycotting the parliament, the ruling AKP proposed a constitutional reform package. The reform package was first vetoed by president Sezer. Then he applied to the Turkish constitutional court about the reform package, because the president is unable to veto amendments for the second time. The Turkish constitutional court did not find any problems in the packet and 68.95% of the voters supported the constitutional changes.<ref name="official results">{{cite web | title = Official Results – 21 October 2007 Constitutional Referendum | publisher = Supreme Election Board (YSK) | accessdate = 12 September 2010 | url = http://www.ysk.gov.tr/ysk/docs/2007Referandum/Sonuc/sonucgrafik.pdf|language=Turkish}}</ref>
The reforms consisted of: electing the president by popular vote instead of by parliament, reducing the presidential term from seven years to five, allowing the president to stand for re-election for a second term, holding general elections every four years instead of five and reducing the quorum of lawmakers needed for parliamentary decisions from 367 to 184.

Reforming the Constitution was one of the main pledges of the AKP during the 2007 election campaign. The main opposition party CHP was not interested in altering the Constitution on a big scale, making it impossible to form a Constitutional Commission (''Anayasa Uzlaşma Komisyonu'').<ref>{{cite news|url=http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/475685.asp|title=AKP'nin Anayasa hedefi 15 madde|language=Turkish|trans-title=AKP targets article 15 of the Constitution|work=NTVMSNBC|date=17 February 2009|accessdate=17 February 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20090218223617/http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/475685.asp|archivedate=18 February 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The amendments lacked the two-thirds majority needed to instantly become law, but secured 336 votes in the 550 seat parliament – enough to put the proposals to a referendum. The reform package included a number of issues such as the right of individuals to appeal to the highest court, the creation of the [[Social:Ombudsman|ombudsman]]'s office, the possibility to negotiate a nationwide labour contract, gender equality, the ability of civilian courts to convict members of the military, the right of civil servants to go on strike, a privacy law, and the structure of the Constitutional Court. The referendum was agreed by a majority of 58%.<ref>{{cite web| author = Government of Turkey, Supreme Election Board (YSK) | title = Official Results – 12 September 2010 Constitutional Referendum | date = 12 September 2010 | url = http://www.ysk.gov.tr/ysk/docs/2010Referandum/KesinSonuc/SonucGrafik.pdf}}</ref>

===Gezi Park protests===
{{main|Social:Gezi Park protests}}
[[File:2013 Taksim Gezi Park protests (15th June).jpg|thumb|Demonstrators in Taksim Square in June 2013 during the Gezi Park protests]]

[[Social:Gezi Park protests|2013 Gezi Park protests]] against the perceived [[Social:Authoritarianism|authoritarianism]] of Erdoğan and his policies, starting from a small sit-in in Istanbul in defense of a city park.<ref name="Reflections">{{cite book|title=Reflections on Taksim – Gezi Park Protests in Turkey|url=http://www.keele.ac.uk/journal-globalfaultlines/publications/geziReflections.pdf|publisher=Journal of Global Faultlines|last1=Gökay|first1=Bülent|last2=Xypolia|first2=Ilia |year=2013|accessdate=18 September 2013}}</ref> After the police's intense reaction with [[Chemistry:Tear gas|tear gas]], the protests grew each day. Faced by the largest mass protest in a decade, Erdoğan made this controversial remark in a televised speech: "The police were there yesterday, they are there today, and they will be there tomorrow." After weeks of clashes in the streets of Istanbul, his government at first apologized to the protestors<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/world/europe/turkey-riots.html?_r=0|title=Turkish Official Apologizes for Force Used at Start of Riots|newspaper=''The New York Times''|accessdate=4 June 2013|first=Sebnem|last=Arsu|date=4 June 2013}}</ref> and called for a plebiscite, but then ordered a crackdown on the protesters.<ref name="Reflections"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/world/europe/protesters-in-turkey.html?_r=0|title=Police Storm Park in Istanbul, Setting Off a Night of Chaos|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=18 June 2013|date=15 June 2013|last1=Arango|first1=Tim|last2=Arsu|first2=Sebnem|first3=Ceylan|last3=Yeginsu}}</ref>

===2013 corruption arrests===
In December 2013, Turkish police detained more than 50 people<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/1217/Once-staunch-ally-turns-on-Erdogan-in-Turkish-corruption-probe|title=Once-staunch ally turns on Erdoğan in Turkish corruption probe|author=Alexander Christie-Miller|date=17 December 2013|work=The Christian Science Monitor|accessdate=22 December 2013}}</ref> and arrested 16 others, including the general manager of Halkbank and the sons of three government ministers, on charges of corruption.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/22/world/middleeast/16-more-arrested-as-corruption-inquiry-in-turkey-widens.html|title=Turkish Premier Blames Foreign Envoys for Turmoil|author=Tim Arango|date=21 December 2013|work=New York Times|accessdate=22 December 2013}}</ref> Although Erdoğan blamed foreign ambassadors and pro-Erdoğan newspapers accused the United States or Israel of a plot, outside analysts attribute the arrests to a power struggle between the Prime Minister and [[Biography:Fethullah Gülen|Fethullah Gülen]]. Gülen, who lives in the U.S., leads a religious movement that had supported the AKP's rise to power. In late 2013, Erdoğan's government proposed shutting down Turkish private schools, many of which are funded by Gülen. Gülen's supporters are believed to have wide influence in the police and judiciary in Turkey.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/16/us-turkey-erdogan-gulen-idUSBRE9BF0AB20131216|title=Enigmatic Turkish cleric poses challenge to Erdogan's might|author=Humeyra Pamuk|date=16 December 2013|agency={{wipe|Reuters}}|accessdate=22 December 2013}}</ref>

In late December, ''Hürriyet'' and ''Yeni Şafak'' papers published comments by Erdoğan stating that he believes he is the ultimate target of a corruption and bribery probe of his allies. The Turkish Prime Minister told journalists that anyone attempting to enmesh him in the scandal would be "left empty handed." Erdoğan reshuffled his Cabinet on 25 December, replacing 10 ministers hours after three ministers, whose sons were detained in relation to the probe, resigned.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press |title=Turkish PM Says He Is Target of Graft Probe |url=http://intimated.com/turkish-pm-says-he-is-target-of-graft-probe/ |publisher=Intimated |accessdate=26 December 2013 |date=26 December 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227111258/http://intimated.com/turkish-pm-says-he-is-target-of-graft-probe/ |archivedate=27 December 2013 }}</ref>

===Telephone recordings and social media===
A file containing five audio recordings of conversations between Erdoğan and his son from a 26-hour period beginning 17 December 2013, in which he appeared to be instructing his son to conceal very large amounts of money, was posted to YouTube and widely discussed on [[Social:Social media|social media]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/02/supporters-deny-taped-conversation-erdogan-son.html|title=The Erdogan tapes|last=Çandar|first=Cengiz|publisher=al-Monitor|date=24 February 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322172531/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/02/supporters-deny-taped-conversation-erdogan-son.html|archivedate=22 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f08_1393301418|title=Corruption ! Turkish PM erDOGan and his son's leaked phone conversation|publisher=LiveLeak|date=24 February 2014}} (This is the recording in Turkish, with English transcript, cited by al-Monitor)</ref> On 26 February 2014, Erdoğan acknowledged that his telephone had been tapped, but denied that the conversation was real, instead calling it an "immoral [[Physics:Sound collage|montage]]" that had been "dubbed" by combining other conversations. An analysis by Joshua Marpet of the United States, published by ''[[Company:The McClatchy Company|McClatchy]]'', concluded that the recordings were "probably real", and if not, the fabrication was done with a sophistication he had not previously seen.<ref name=Gutman>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/26/6192244/erdogan-recordings-appear-real.html|title=Erdogan recordings appear real, analyst says, as Turkey scandal grows|author=Roy Gutman|publisher=Sacramento Bee|date=6 February 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>

On the night of 26 February 2014, Turkey's Parliament, dominated by Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party, passed a bill that allowed the government the power to block Internet sites, subject to court review within three days, and granting it access to Internet traffic data. Another bill previously approved by a parliamentary committee would grant the MİT intelligence service access to data held by the government, as well as private institutions and courts. The following day President Abdullah Gül approved placing an investigative agency that appoints judges and prosecutors under the control of Erdoğan's justice minister.<ref name = Gutman />

On 20 March, Erdoğan made a speech promising to "rip out the roots" of the Twitter service. Hours later the telecommunications regulator BTK blocked DNS service to the site, citing four court orders the Turkish government had made requiring them to remove content to preserve privacy that had not been heeded. Sources covering the story attributed this to the use of Twitter to share links to the Erdoğan recordings on YouTube.<ref name="Turkey Blocks Twitter"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/turkey-blocks-twitter-prime-minister|title=Turkey blocks use of Twitter after prime minister attacks social media site|publisher=The Guardian|date=20 March 2014|author=Kevin Rawlinson}}</ref> Erdoğan also threatened to ban Facebook. However, the block of Twitter proved ineffective, with traffic increasing a record 138%, and #TwitterisblockedinTurkey becoming the top trending term worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/turkey-twitter-users-flout-ban-erdogan?CMP=twt_gu|title=Turkey Twitter users flout Erdogan ban on micro-blogging site|publisher=The Guardian|author=Constanze Letsch|date=21 March 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> To circumvent the block, Google suggested Turks use Google Public DNS at 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, numbers which were soon graffitied in dozens of locations around Istanbul.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/how-to-get-around-turkeys-twitter-ban|title=How to get around Turkey's Twitter ban|publisher=''The Guardian''|date=21 March 2014|author=Elena Cresci|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://observers.france24.com/content/20140321-graffiti-turkey-DNS-twitter-ban|title=Using graffiti, Turks share tips for getting around Twitter ban|date=21 March 2014|publisher=The Observers|author=Serhatcan Yurdam|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref> President Abdullah Gül criticized the Twitter ban, defying it himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/23/turkey-twitter-ban|title=Turkey steps up bid to block Twitter after users flout ban|publisher=''The Guardian''|author=Kevin Rawlinson|date=23 March 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/03/22/turkey-strengthens-twitter-ban-institutes-ip-level-block/|title=Turkey strengthens Twitter ban, institutes IP level block|author=Andrea Peterson|date=22 March 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014|publisher=''The Washington Post''}}</ref> Two months later, on 3 June, Turkey's telecommunications watchdog ordered the ban to be lifted, after a ruling by the Constitutional Court.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/turkey-lifts-ban-on-youtube-access-1401804782|title=Turkey Lifts Ban on YouTube Access|author=Emre Peker|date=3 June 2014|publisher=''The Wall Street Journal''|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref>

===Foreign policy===
[[File:Erdogan foreign trips as prime minister.png|thumb|left|Countries visited by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as prime minister]]

Turkey under Erdoğan was named by the Bush Administration as a part of the "coalition of the willing" that was central to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2862343.stm|title=US names 'coalition of the willing'|date=18 March 2003|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

On 3 October 2005 negotiations began for Turkey's accession to the [[Social:European Union|European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7529707.stm|title=EU enlargement past, present and future|publisher=BBC News|date=6 November 2008|accessdate=1 February 2009}}</ref>

Under Erdoğan, Iraq and Turkey signed 48 trade agreements on issues including security, energy, and water. The Turkish government attempted to mend relations with [[Place:Iraqi Kurdistan|Iraqi Kurdistan]] by opening a Turkish university in [[Place:Erbil|Erbil]], and a Turkish consulate in [[Place:Mosul|Mosul]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-191730-100-news-analysis-towards-a-new-era-in-ties-with-northern-iraq.html |title=Towards a new era in ties with Northern Iraq |date=2 November 2009 |work=Today's Zaman |accessdate=3 December 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105191731/http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-191730-100-news-analysis-towards-a-new-era-in-ties-with-northern-iraq.html |archivedate= 5 November 2009 |df= }}</ref> Erdoğan's government fostered economic and political relations with Irbil, and Turkey began to consider the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq as an ally against Maliki's government.<ref name=Kurd-Shiite-Sunni-Split>{{cite web|last=Salem|first=Paul|title=INSIGHT: Iraq's Tensions Heightened by Syria Conflict|url=http://middleeastvoices.voanews.com/2012/11/insight-iraqs-tensions-heightened-by-syria-conflict-96791/|publisher=Middle East Voices|accessdate=3 November 2012|date=29 November 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and George Papandreou, Erzurum January 2011 08.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.]]
Relations between Greece and Turkey were normalized during Erdoğan's tenure as prime minister. In 2007, Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis inaugurated the Greek-Turkish natural gas pipeline giving Caspian gas its first direct Western outlet.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/world/europe/19greece.html|title=Greece and Turkey Open Gas Pipeline|work=The New York Times|date=19 November 2007|accessdate=1 February 2009|first=Anthee|last=Carassava}}</ref> Erdoğan and his party strongly supported the EU-backed referendum to reunify Cyprus in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3656919.stm|title=Analysis: Turkey's Cyprus gamble|publisher=BBC News|date=25 April 2004|accessdate=1 February 2009|first=Jonny|last=Dymond}}</ref> Negotiations about Turkey's possible EU membership came to a standstill in 2009 and 2010, when Turkish ports were closed to Cypriot ships in "revenge" for the economic isolation of the internationally unrecognized [[Place:Northern Cyprus|Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]] and the failure of the EU to end the isolation, as it had promised in 2004.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bogdani|first=Mirela|year=2010|title=Turkey and the Dilemma of EU Accession: When Religion Meets Politics|journal=I.B. Tauris|pages=32–33}}</ref> The Turkish government continues its refusal to recognize the Republic of Cyprus.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eu-pays-the-price-for-admitting-cyprus-turkish-prime-minister-erdogan.aspx?pageID=238&nid=40580|title=EU pays the price for admitting Cyprus: Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan|work=Hürriyet Daily News|date=5 February 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>

Erdoğan condemned the Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain and characterized the Saudi movement as "a new [[Religion:Battle of Karbala|Karbala]]." He demanded withdrawal of Saudi forces from Bahrain.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bhadrakumar|first1=M.K.|title=Asia Times Online :: Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MC25Ak02.html|work=Asia Times}}</ref>

Erdoğan visited [[Place:Egypt|Egypt]] on 12 September 2011, soon after Turkey had ejected Israeli ambassadors, cutting off all diplomatic relations with Israel because Israel refused to apologize for the Gaza flotilla raid which killed eight Turkish and one Turco-American.<ref name="cnn_egypt">{{cite news |title=Turkish prime minister arrives for visit to Egypt as role widens |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/09/12/turkey.diplomacy/ |publisher=CNN |date=14 September 2011 |accessdate=15 September 2011|last1=Watson|first1=Ivan|last2=Fahmy|first2=Mohamed Fadel}}</ref> This was the first visit to Egypt by a Prime Minister of Turkey after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.<ref name="cnn_egypt" /><ref name="guardian_egypt">{{cite news |title=Turkey-Egypt talks stoke Israeli fears of political isolation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/09/turkey-egypt-israel-political-isolation|work=The Guardian |date=9 September 2011 |accessdate=15 September 2011 |first=Harriet |last=Sherwood}}</ref>

Erdoğan stated in a 2011 interview that he supported secularism for Egypt, which generated an angry reaction among Islamic movements, especially the Freedom and Justice party – the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood.<ref name="democrati">{{cite news |title=Egypt and Turkey, an Axis against Democracy? |url=http://democrati.net/2011/09/30/egypt-and-turkey-an-axis-against-democracy/ |publisher=democrati.net|author=T. Fouad |date=30 September 2011 |accessdate=30 September 2011}}</ref> However, commentators suggest that by forming an alliance with the military junta during Egypt's transition to democracy, Erdoğan may have tipped the balance in favor of an authoritarian government.<ref name=democrati />

[[File:WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING 2009 - Recep Tayyip Erdogan.jpg|thumb|left|Erdoğan walks out of the session at the World Economic Forum in 2009, vows never to return.]]
Erdoğan visited Israel on 1 May 2005, a gesture unusual for a leader of a Muslim majority country.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite web|last1=Myre|first1=Greg|title=Turkish Leader Visits Israel, Restoring Friendly Ties|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/world/middleeast/turkish-leader-visits-israel-restoring-friendly-ties.html|work=The New York Times|accessdate=16 April 2017|date=2 May 2005}}</ref> During his trip, Erdoğan visited the Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.<ref name="nytimes.com" /> The President of Israel [[Biography:Shimon Peres|Shimon Peres]] addressed the Turkish parliament during a visit in 2007, the first time an Israeli leader had addressed the legislature of a predominantly Muslim nation.<ref>{{cite news|author=|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/peres-addresses-turkish-parliament/2007/11/14/1194766711166.html|title=Peres addresses Turkish Parliament |newspaper=Brisbane Times|date=14 November 2007|accessdate=3 September 2011}}</ref> Their relationship worsened at the 2009 [[Organization:World Economic Forum|World Economic Forum]] conference over Israel's actions during the Gaza War.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news|title=WEF 2009 Turkish leader storms out of debate with Israeli PM|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/davos/4392331/WEF-2009-Turkish-leader-storms-out-of-debate-with-Israeli-PM.html|work=The Telegraph|accessdate=23 February 2011|date=30 January 2009}}</ref> Erdoğan was interrupted by the moderator while he was responding to Peres, and left the panel, accusing the moderator of giving Peres more time than all the other panelists combined.<ref name="erdoganhurriyet">{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/10887282.asp?gid=244|title=Turkish PM storms out of Davos' Gaza session, slams moderator|work=Hürriyet|date=1 February 2009|accessdate=1 February 2009}}</ref> Tensions increased further following the Gaza flotilla raid in May 2010. Erdoğan strongly condemned the raid, describing it as "state terrorism", and demanded an Israeli apology.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/turkish-pm-israel-is-the-main-threat-to-mideast-peace-1.901|title=Turkish PM: Israel is the main threat to Mideast peace|publisher=Haaretz.com|accessdate=8 September 2010}}</ref> In February 2013, Erdoğan called [[Social:Zionism|Zionism]] a "crime against humanity", comparing it to Islamophobia, antisemitism, and fascism.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kalman |first=Aaron |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/erdogan-calls-zionism-a-crime-against-humanity/ |title=Erdogan calls Zionism a 'crime against humanity' |work=The Times of Israel |date=28 February 2013|accessdate=3 June 2013}}</ref> He later retracted the statement, saying he had been misinterpreted. He said "everyone should know" that his comments were directed at "Israeli policies", especially as regards to "Gaza and the settlements."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Mar-20/210853-erdogan-says-comments-on-zionism-misunderstood.ashx |title=Erdogan says comments on Zionism 'misunderstood'|work=The Lebanon Daily Star|date=20 March 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014|agency=Agence Presse France}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/turkish-pm-says-zionism-comments-misinterpreted/|title=Turkish PM says Zionism comments misinterpreted|work=The Times of Israel|date=20 March 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014|last=Fiske|first=Gavriel}}</ref> Erdoğan's statements were criticized by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, among others.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/02/world/europe/kerry-criticizes-turkish-prime-minister-over-zionism-remark.html?hp&_r=1&|title=Kerry Comes to Turkey With Rebuke of Its Leader Over Zionism Remark|first=Michael|last=Gordon|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|date=1 March 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://diepresse.com/home/politik/aussenpolitik/1350833/Zionismus-ist-Verbrechen_Aussenamt-ruegt-Erdogan?from=suche.intern.portal|title=Zionismus ist Verbrechen: Außenamt rügt Erdogan|work=Die Presse|date=1 March 2013|accessdate=3 December 2014|language=German|trans-title="Zionism is a crime": Foreign Ministry criticises Erdogan}}</ref> In August 2013, the ''Hürriyet'' reported that Erdoğan had claimed to have evidence of Israel's responsibility for the removal of Morsi from office in Egypt.<ref name=Israelbehind>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-has-evidence-that-israel-was-behind-egypt-coup-erdogan.aspx?pageID=517&nID=52876&NewsCatID=338|title=Israel behind coup to oust Morsi, Turkish PM Erdoğan says|work=Hürriyet|date=20 August 2013|accessdate=4 December 2014}}</ref> The Israeli and Egyptian governments dismissed the suggestion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/154587/turkey-has-evidence-that-israel-was-behind-egypt-coup-erdogan.html |title=Turkey has evidence that Israel was behind Egypt coup: Erdoğan |work=The Journal of Turkish Weekly |date=20 August 2013 |accessdate=4 December 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021023932/http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/154587/turkey-has-evidence-that-israel-was-behind-egypt-coup-erdogan.html |archivedate=21 October 2013 |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://rt.com/news/israel-egypt-coup-erdogan-722/|title='Israel behind Egypt coup' – Turkish PM|publisher=Russia Today|date=20 August 2013|accessdate=4 December 2014}}</ref>
[[File:G8 summit in L'Aquila, family photo.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan among the world leaders seen here at the G8 summit in 2009]]

On 12 May 2010, Turkey and Russia signed 17 agreements to enhance cooperation in energy and other fields, including pacts to build Turkey's first nuclear power plant and further plans for an oil pipeline from the Black Sea to the [[Place:Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean Sea]]. The leaders of both countries also signed an agreement on visa-free travel, enabling tourists to get into the country for free and stay there for up to 30 days.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rt.com/politics/russia-turkey-visa-regime|work=Russia Today|title=Russia and Turkey agree on visa-free travel|date=12 May 2010|accessdate=4 December 2014}}</ref> In May 2010, the Turkish and Somali governments signed a military training agreement, in keeping with the provisions outlined in the Djibouti Peace Process.<ref name="Tssmtp">{{cite news|title=Turkey-Somalia military agreement approved|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_turkey-somalia-military-agreement-approved_297699.html|accessdate=13 August 2013|newspaper=''Today's Zaman''|date=9 May 2012|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027232406/http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_turkey-somalia-military-agreement-approved_297699.html|archivedate=27 October 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Turkish Airlines became the first long-distance international commercial airline in two decades to resume flights to and from Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport.<ref name="nation">{{cite news|url=http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Why-Turkish-aid-model-is-proving-to-be-a-success-/-/440808/1378016/-/item/0/-/7rmpkt/-/index.html|title=Why Turkish aid model is proving to be a success in Somalia and elsewhere|author=Rasna Warah|work=Saturday Nation|date=1 April 2012|accessdate=4 December 2014}}</ref> Turkey also launched various development and infrastructure projects in Somalia including building several hospitals and helping renovate the National Assembly building.<ref name="nation"/>

During Erdoğan's term of office, diplomatic relations between Turkey and Syria significantly deteriorated. In 2004, President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Turkey for the first official visit by a Syrian President in 57 years. In late 2004, Erdoğan signed a free trade agreement with Syria. Visa restrictions between the two countries were lifted in 2009, which caused an economic boom in the regions near the Syrian border.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2004/01/06/son/sontur16.html|title=Türkiye, Suriye ile İsrail arasında kolaylaştırıcı rol üstlenebilir|publisher=''Milliyet''|date=6 January 1990|accessdate=8 September 2010|language=Turkish|trans-title=Turkey could play a role in facilitating Syria and Israel}}</ref> However the relationship became strained following the outbreak of conflict in Syria in 2011. Erdoğan said he was trying to "cultivate a favorable relationship with whatever government would take the place of Assad",<ref name="Dif relationship against Assad">{{cite web|last=Epatko|first=Larisa|title=Syria and Turkey: A Complex Relationship|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/11/syria-and-turkey.html|publisher=PBS NEWSHOUR|accessdate=15 November 2012|date=15 November 2012}}</ref> and began directly supporting the armed opposition in Syria.<ref>{{cite web|title=Turks Concerned with Erdogan's Syria Policy|date= 24 October 2014|accessdate= 24 October 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5KJBioljJE}}</ref> Erdoğan's policy of providing military training for anti-regime fighters has also created conflict with Syria's ally and neighbor, Iran.<ref>{{cite web|title=Senior MP Raps Erdogan's Policies on Syria|date=7 January 2013|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-314125007.html|accessdate=4 December 2014|work=FARS News}}</ref>

===2014 presidential campaign===
On 1 July 2014, Erdoğan was named the AKP's presidential candidate in the Turkish presidential election. His candidacy was announced by the Deputy President of the AKP, Mehmet Ali Şahin.

Erdoğan made a speech after the announcement and used the 'Erdoğan logo' for the first time. The logo was criticised because it was very similar to the logo that U.S. President [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]] used in the 2008 presidential election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Erdoğan'ın seçim logosu sosyal medyayı karıştırdı |trans-title=Erdoğan's logo stirs social media |author=Zeynep Gürcanlı |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/26720140.asp |newspaper=Hürriyet |date=1 July 2014 |accessdate=26 March 2015}}</ref>

Erdoğan was elected as the President of Turkey in the first round of the election with 51.79% of the vote, obviating the need for a run-off by winning over 50%. The joint candidate of the CHP, MHP and 13 other opposition parties, former Organisation of Islamic Co-operation general secretary Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu won 38.44% of the vote. The pro-Kurdish [[Social:Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)|HDP]] candidate Selahattin Demirtaş won 9.76%.<ref>{{cite web  |title=Yurt içi, yurt dışı ve gümrük sandıkları dahil cumhurbaşkanı seçim sonucu |trans-title=Presidential election results including domestic, foreign and customs ballot boxes |url=http://www.ysk.gov.tr/ysk/content/conn/YSKUCM/path/Contribution%20Folders/HaberDosya/2014CB-Kesin-416_d_Genel.pdf |publisher=Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey |date=15 August 2014 |accessdate=26 March 2015}}</ref>

===Electoral fraud===
Erdoğan's government developed the SEÇSİS secure vote counting system ostensibly in order to reduce fraud. However, it has been criticised for being prone to manipulation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guncelmeydan.com/pano/bu-secim-sistemiyle-akp-bin-yil-daha-secilir-secsis-hileleri-t27362.html|title='Bu seçim sistemiyle, AKP bin yıl daha seçilir' (SEÇSİS Hileleri)|language=Turkish|trans-title=With this electoral system, AKP can be elected for 1000 years|date=30 August 2007|last=Kavcar|first=Neval|publisher=Guncel Meydan|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Particular controversy was generated by the fact that the system was developed in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kurtaricisizsiniz.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/bu-hileli-secim-sistemiyle-secsis-akp.html|title=Bu hileli seçim sistemiyle (seçsis) AKP, 100 yıl daha iktidarda|language=Turkish|trans-title=The fraudulent system that could give AKP 100 years in power|date=22 February 2013|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref>

The first significant cases of election fraud under Erdoğan's rule were documented during the 2009 local elections, where numerous cases of ballot paper theft were reported in [[Place:Ankara|Ankara]] and Adana.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazetevatan.com/ankara-da-oylar-calindi-mi--230569-secim-2009/|title=Ankara'da oylar çalındı mı?|language=Turkish|trans-title=Was the vote stolen in Ankara?|date=30 March 2009|work=Vatan|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.internethaber.com/chpnin-oylari-calindi-iddiasi--186120h.htm|title=CHP'nin oyları çalındı iddiası|language=Turkish|trans-title=Allegations CHP's vote was stolen|date=31 March 2009|publisher=internet haber|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/113469-chp-ve-mhp-den-secimde-hile-yapildi-iddiasi|title=CHP ve MHP'den Seçimde Hile Yapıldı İddiası|language=Turkish|trans-title=Cheating allegations made in election of CHP and MHP|date=30 March 2009|work=bianet|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gundem.bugun.com.tr/adana-seciminde-oylar-boyle-calindi-haberi/65695|title=Adana seçimlerinde oylar böyle çalındı|language=Turkish|trans-title=In elections such as Adana, the vote was stolen|work=bugün|date=10 April 2009|accessdate=5 December 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113151608/http://gundem.bugun.com.tr/adana-seciminde-oylar-boyle-calindi-haberi/65695|archivedate=13 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In the 2011 general election, a minivan containing ballot papers with a pre-stamped vote for the AKP was impounded by police in İzmir.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artemishaber.com/?Syf=18&Hbr=175988|title=İzmir Çınarlı'da AKP'ye 'Evet' mührü basılmış hazır oy pusulalarıyla dolu bir araç yakalanırken, İstanbul'da da bir kişi AKP'nin dağıttığı örnek oy pusulasını zarfa koymak isterken suçüstü yakalandı.|language=Turkish|trans-title=Car full of pre-printed 'YES' ballotts captured in Izmir|work=artemis haberaccessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> An independent candidate from Yalova also accused officials at polling stations of intimidating voters to vote for the AKP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egeninsesi.com/15159-akpye_evet_muhru_basilmis_pusulalarla_dolu_arac_yakalandi|trans-title=Vehicle full of ballotts printed "YES" with AKP seal captured|language=Turkish|title=Akp'ye "Evet" Mührü Basılmış Pusulalarla Dolu Araç Yakalandı|work=egeninsesi|date=12 June 2011|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.akademipolitik.com/siyaset/1853-akpye-evet-muhru-basilmis-pusulalarla-dolu-arac|title=AKP'ye evet mührü basılmış pusulalarla dolu araç yakalandı|language=Turkish|trans-title=Car caught with ballotts packed with AKP's yes stamp|work=Akademi Politik|date=28 February 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305063746/http://www.akademipolitik.com/siyaset/1853-akpye-evet-muhru-basilmis-pusulalarla-dolu-arac|archivedate=5 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

[[File:Turkish_presidential_election_2014.png|thumb|right|2014 presidential election results.]]
[[File:Turkish local elections 2014 electricity cuts.png|thumb|left|Map showing provinces suffering from power outages during the counting process for the 2014 local elections<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amerikaninsesi.com/content/secim-gecesinde-elektrik-kesintileri-tartisiliyor/1884077.html|title=Seçim Gecesinde Elektrik Kesintileri Tartışılıyor|language=Turkish|trans-title=Power outages debated on election night|work=Amerika'nin sesi|date=30 March 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref>]]
Substantial levels of fraud were documented during the 2014 local elections, including the theft and burning of ballots cast both for and against the AKP and the intimidation of officials counting the votes, including European Union Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, by government forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gazetecileronline.com/newsdetails/13294-/GazetecilerOnline/secimler-hileli-iste-chp-oylarinin-calindiginin-be |title=Seçimler hileli! İşte CHP oylarının çalındığının belgeleri |language=Turkish |trans-title=Fraudulent elections: here are the documents showing the theft of CHP votes |work=Gazeteciler Online |date=31 March 2014 |accessdate=5 December 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006072457/http://www.gazetecileronline.com/newsdetails/13294-/GazetecilerOnline/secimler-hileli-iste-chp-oylarinin-calindiginin-be |archivedate=6 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turksolu.com.tr/443/gokcefirat443.html|title=AKP'nin Seçim Gecesi Operasyonu'nu Açıklıyoruz! Oylar nasıl çalındı?|language=Turkish|trans-title=Explanation of the AKP's election night operation: how were the votes stolen?|last=Firat|first=Gökçe|work=Türk solu|date=|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/kilicdaroglundan-oy-calindi-suclamasi|title=Kılıçdaroğlu'ndan 'oy çalındı' suçlaması|language=Turkish|trans-title=Kılıçdaroğlu's "votes were stolen" accusation|work=Aljazeera|date=18 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meltemhaber.com/?haber,10959/elektrikler-kesildi-oylar-calindi-iddiasi|title=Elektrikler kesildi, oylar çalındı iddiası!|language=Turkish|trans-title=Power outages: claims the vote was stolen|work=meltem Haber|date=31 March 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sozcu.com.tr/2014/gundem/ab-bakani-mevlut-cavusoglu-oy-sayarken-480201/|title=AB Bakanı Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu oy sayarke|language=Turkish|trans-title=EU Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu counting votes|work=Sözcü|date=2 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.istanbulhaber.com.tr/ab-bakani-mevlut-cavusoglu-oy-sayarken-haber-192571.htm|title=AB Bakanı Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu oy sayarken|language=Turkish|trans-title=EU Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu vote counting|work=Istanbul Haber Ajansi|date= April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Several cases of opposition votes being counted as invalid and vote totals per ballot box being recorded incorrectly also caused controversy.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} With an unusually high number of power outages occurring throughout the country while votes were being counted, the government was ridiculed when Energy Minister Taner Yıldız blamed them on cats entering Transformers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/26128954.asp|title=Enerji Bakanı Taner Yıldız: Trafoya kedi girdi|language=Turkish|trans-title=Energy Minister Taner Yıldız: Transformers entered by cats|work=cumhuriyet|date=2 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/video/video_haber/56411/Enerji_Bakani_Taner_Yildiz__Trafoya_kedi_girdi.html|title=Enerji Bakanı Taner Yıldız: Trafoya kedi girdi|language=Turkish|trans-title=Energy Minister Taner Yıldız: Cats enter transformers|work=cumhuriyet|date=1 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Milliyet-Tv/video-izle/Taner-Yildiz--Trafoya-kedi-girdi-4tyLfgenFh0f.html|title=Taner Yıldız: Trafoya kedi girdi|language=Turkish|trans-title=Taner Yıldız: Transformer cat entry|work=Milliyet|date=1 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Erdoğan was criticised for disregarding the high number of fraud cases and declaring victory none-the-less. Significant cases of misconduct were documented in Yalova, [[Place:Ankara|Ankara]], Antalya and Ağrı. The Supreme Electoral Council ordered a repeat of the election in Yalova and Ağrı, both of which the AKP had initially narrowly lost to the CHP and BDP respectively.

Despite strong surveillance by citizens during the 2014 presidential election, no serious cases of fraud were documented during the voting or counting process.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.todayszaman.com/news-342821-citizens-have-right-to-monitor-elections-for-fraud-free-voting-says-activist.html|title=Citizens have right to monitor elections for fraud-free voting, says activist|work=''Today's Zaman''|date=23 March 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|first=Yonica|last=Puyraz Dogan|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113144954/https://www.todayszaman.com/news-342821-citizens-have-right-to-monitor-elections-for-fraud-free-voting-says-activist.html|archivedate=13 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> However, Erdoğan was still heavily scrutinised over what was perceived to be excessive media bias in his favour during the campaigning process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140811/even-without-any-voting-fraud-turkeys-elections-arent-a-fair-fight|title=Even without any voting fraud, Turkey's elections aren't a fair fight|work=Los Angeles Daily News|last=Resneck|first=Jacob|date=11 August 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref>

On 14 June 2018, in a video that was leaked to the public, President Erdogan is caught calling his party members to resort to electoral fraud, by "marking" the votes of an opposition party, HDP, in a bid to consolidate a better position for his own party at the 2018 June elections in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/leaked-video-showing-erdogan-calling-for-tight-marking-of-hdp-goes-viral-133305|title=Leaked video showing Erdoğan calling for 'tight marking' of HDP goes viral|work=Hurriyet Daily News|date=14 June 2018|accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref>

==Presidency (2014–present)==
{{Split section |Presidency of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|discuss=Talk:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan#Split proposed |date=April 2017}}
Erdoğan took the oath of office on 28 August 2014 and became the 12th president of Turkey. He administered the new Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's oath on 29 August. When asked about his lower-than-expected 51.79% share of the vote, he allegedly responded, "there were even those who did not like the [[Biography:Muhammad|Prophet]]. I, however, won 52%."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nediyor.com/2014/08/14/dusuk-oy-elestirilerine-peygamberli-yanit-iddiasi/|title=Düşük oy eleştirilerine "Peygamber"li yanıt iddiası|work=nediyor.com|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212222511/http://nediyor.com/2014/08/14/dusuk-oy-elestirilerine-peygamberli-yanit-iddiasi/|archivedate=12 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Assuming the role of President, Erdoğan was criticized for openly stating that he would not maintain the tradition of presidential neutrality.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnnturk.com/haber/turkiye/erdogan-secilirsem-tarafsiz-olmayacagim|title=Erdoğan: "Seçilirsem tarafsız olmayacağım"|language=Turkish|trans-title=Erdoğan: "I will not be impartial if selected"|date=7 August 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=CNN Türk}}</ref> Erdoğan has also stated his intention to pursue a more active role as President, such as utilising the President's rarely used cabinet-calling powers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/erdogan-vows-strong-turkey-final-election-rally-174303362.html|title=Turkey's Erdogan prepares for strongman president role|last1=Ozerkan|first1=Fulya|last2=Williams|first2=Stuart|publisher=''Yahoo! News''|date=11 August 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> The political opposition has argued that Erdoğan will continue to pursue his own political agenda, controlling the government, while his new Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu would be docile and submissive.<ref name="foxnews.com"/> Furthermore, the domination of loyal Erdoğan supporters in Davutoğlu's cabinet fuelled speculation that Erdoğan intended to exercise substantial control over the government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/new-turkish-cabinet-shows-continuity-with-erdogan-legacy-1409312847|title=New Turkish Cabinet Shows Continuity With Erdogan Legacy|author=Yeliz Candemir|date=29 August 2014|publisher=''The Wall Street Journal''|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref>

===Domestic Policy===
====Presidential palace====
[[File:Ak Saray Ankara 2014 002.JPG|thumb|left|New Presidential Palace in Ankara]]

Erdoğan has also received criticism for the construction of a new palace called Ak Saray ''(pure white palace),'' which occupies approximately 50 acres of Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ) in [[Place:Ankara|Ankara]].<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogans-ak-saray-likened-to-alamut-castle-ceausescus-palace.aspx?pageID=238&nID=73936&NewsCatID=338# Erdoğan's 'Ak Saray' likened to Alamut Castle, Ceausescu's Palace](www.hurriyetdailynews.com, retrieved on 9 April 2016)</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/01/world/europe/erdogan-uses-conflict-to-consolidate-power.html?referrer|title=Turkis Leader, Using Conflicts, Cements Power|author=Tim Arango|work=The New York Times|date=31 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> Since the AOÇ is protected land, several court orders were issued to halt the construction of the new palace, though building work went on nonetheless.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/11/01/turkish-president-drops-350m-on-new-palace/|title=Turkish President drops $350m on new palace|author=Christopher Cameron|work=The Real Deal: New York Real Estate News|date=1 November 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> The opposition described the move as a clear disregard for the rule of law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/136319/Erdogan_dan__Kac-Ak_Saray__icin_yorum.html|title=Erdoğan'dan 'Kaç-Ak Saray' için yorum|language=Turkish|trans-title=How Erdoğan's 'illegal palace' looks|date=1 November 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=Cumhuriyet}}</ref> The project was subject to heavy criticism and allegations were made; of corruption during the construction process, wildlife destruction and the complete obliteration of the zoo in the AOÇ in order to make way for the new compound.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/national_critical-media-block-imposed-on-ak-saray-opening-amid-graft-concerns_362922.html|title=Critical media block imposed on 'Ak Saray' amid opening graft concerns|work=''Today's Zaman''|date=29 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141125103048/http://www.todayszaman.com/national_critical-media-block-imposed-on-ak-saray-opening-amid-graft-concerns_362922.html|archivedate=25 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The fact that the palace is technically illegal has led to it being branded as the 'Kaç-Ak Saray', the word ''kaçak'' in Turkish meaning 'illegal'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/video/video/136120/Kac-Ak_Saray_a_mehterli_tanitim.html|work=Cumhuriyet|date=31 October 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014|title=Kaç-Ak Saray'a mehterli tanıtım|language=Turkish|trans-title="Illegal" palace promotional material}}</ref>

Ak Saray was originally designed as a new office for the Prime Minister. However, upon assuming the presidency, Erdoğan announced that the palace would become the new Presidential Palace, while the Çankaya Köşkü will be used by the Prime Minister instead. The move was seen as a historic change since the Çankaya Köşkü had been used as the iconic office of the presidency ever since its inception. The Ak Saray has almost 1,000 rooms and cost $350&nbsp;million (€270&nbsp;million), leading to huge criticism at a time when mining accidents and workers' rights had been dominating the agenda.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/gundem_ak-saray-alman-basininda_2254265.html|title='Ak-Saray' Alman basınında|language=Turkish|trans-title=Ak Saray in the German press|date=30 October 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=Zaman|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201150226/http://www.zaman.com.tr/gundem_ak-saray-alman-basininda_2254265.html|archivedate=1 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/09/turkey-erdogan-white-palace-presidential-residence.html##ixzz3GQJqZp00|title=Erdogan's $350m presidential palace|work=Al-Monitor|author=Kadri Gursel|date=17 September 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref>

On 29 October 2014, Erdoğan was due to hold a Republic Day reception in the new palace to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and to officially inaugurate the Presidential Palace. However, after most invited participants announced that they would boycott the event and a mining accident occurred in the district of Ermenek in Karaman, the reception was cancelled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/27477903.asp|title=29 Ekim resepsiyonu iptal|language=Turkish|trans-title=29 October reception cancelled|date=30 October 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>

====Coup d'état attempt====
On 15 July 2016, a coup d'état was attempted by the military, with aims to remove Erdoğan from government. By the next day, Erdoğan's government managed to reassert effective control in the country.<ref name="WSJ-attempted-coup">{{cite news|last1=Levin |first1=Ned |last2=Candemir |first2=Yeliz |title=Turkey's Erdogan Reasserts Control After Attempted Coup |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-erdogan-reasserts-control-after-attempted-coup-1468658670 |accessdate=16 July 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716102935/http://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-erdogan-reasserts-control-after-attempted-coup-1468658670 |archivedate=16 July 2016 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=16 July 2016 |location=Istanbul |subscription=yes |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref> Reportedly, no government official was arrested or harmed, which among other factors raised the suspicion of a [[Social:False flag|false flag]] event staged by the government itself.<ref>{{cite web|title=Critics Raise False Flag After Failed Military Coup In Turkey|url=http://www.vocativ.com/341593/critics-raise-false-flag-after-failed-military-coup-in-turkey/|publisher=Vocativ|accessdate=16 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Fontanella-Khan |first1=Amana |title=Fethullah Gülen: Turkey coup may have been 'staged' by Erdoğan regime |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/16/fethullah-gulen-turkey-coup-erdogan |accessdate=16 July 2016 |publisher=The Guardian |date=16 July 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716221649/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/16/fethullah-gulen-turkey-coup-erdogan |archivedate=16 July 2016 |location=Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref>

[[File:After coup nightly demonstartion of president Erdogan supporters. Istanbul, Turkey, Eastern Europe and Western Asia. 22 July,2016.jpg|thumb|right|Turkish anti-coup rally in Istanbul, 22 July 2016]]
Erdoğan, as well as other government officials, have blamed an exiled cleric, and once an ally of Erdoğan, [[Biography:Fethullah Gülen|Fethullah Gülen]], for staging the coup attempt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/turkey-military-coup/who-u-s-based-cleric-fethullah-gulen-blamed-turkey-coup-n610681|title=This U.S.-Based Cleric Is Being Blamed for Coup Attempt|publisher=}}</ref> Suleyman Soylu, Minister for Labor in Erdoğan's government, accused the US of planning a coup to oust Erdoğan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/215046|title=US government behind Turkish coup attempt, Turkish minister says|publisher=}}</ref>

Erdoğan, as well as other high-ranking Turkish government officials have issued repeated demands to the US to extradite Gülen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/11/politics/turkey-us-fethullah-gulen-ultimatum/index.html|title=Turkey's Erdogan demands US hand over cleric|first=Euan McKirdy and Hande Atay Alam|last=CNN|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/28/turkey-fethullah-gulen-extradition-coup-attempt|title=Turkey officials to demand extradition of Fethullah Gülen from US|first=Patrick Wintour Diplomatic|last=editor|date=28 July 2016|publisher=|via=The Guardian}}</ref>

Following the coup attempt, there has been a significant deterioration in Turkey-US relations. 
European and other world leaders have expressed their concerns over the situation in Turkey, with many of them warning Erdoğan not to use the coup attempt as an excuse for crackdown against his opponents.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/17/turkey-coup-plot-president-erdogan-rounds-up-thousands-of-soldie/|title=Turkey coup attempt: World leaders warn President Erdogan not to use uprising as excuse for crackdown as more than 6,000 arrested|publisher=}}</ref>

The rise of Islamic state and the collapse of the Kurdish peace process lead to a sharp rise in terrorist incidents in Turkey until 2016 Erdoğan was accused by his critics of having a 'soft corner' for ISIS<ref>{{cite web|author=Simon Tisdall |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/29/turkey-pays-price-erdogan-blindness-to-isis-threat |title=Turkey paying a price for Erdoğan's wilful blindness to Isis threat &#124; World news |publisher=The Guardian |date= |accessdate=15 July 2016}}</ref> However, after the attempted coup, Erdoğan ordered the Turkish military into Syria to combat ISIS and Kurdish militant groups.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kareem Shaheen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/24/turkey-launches-major-operation-against-isis-in-key-border-town |title=Turkey sends tanks into Syria in operation aimed at Isis and Kurds &#124; World news |publisher=The Guardian |date=24 August 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> Erdoğan's critics have decried purges in the education system and judiciary as undermining the rule of law<ref>{{cite web|last=Macdonald |first=Alastair |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-eu-mogherini-idUSKCN0ZY0EZ |title='No excuse' for Turkey to abandon rule of law: EU's Mogherini |publisher=Reuters |date=18 July 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> however Erdoğan supporters argue this is a necessary measure as Gulen-linked schools cheated on entrance exams, requiring a purge in the education system and of the Gulen followers who then entered the judiciary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/08/05/fethullah-gulen-race-top-over-turkey-erdogan-secularism-schools/ |title=Fethullah Gulen's Race to the Top Is Over |publisher=Foreign Policy |date=5 August 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailysabah.com/elections/2015/06/15/turkey-21-suspects-detained-in-civil-service-exam-cheating-scandal |title=Turkey: 21 suspects detained in civil service exam cheating scandal |publisher=Daily Sabah |date=15 June 2015 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref>

Erdoğan's plan is "to reconstitute Turkey as a presidential system. The plan would create a centralized system that would enable him to better tackle Turkey's internal and external threats. One of the main hurdles allegedly standing in his way is Fethullah Gulen's movement ..."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atimes.com/erdogans-global-anti-gulen-drive-hits-pakistan/|title=Erdogan's global anti-Gulen drive hits Pakistan|last=Salman|first=Rafi|date=20 November 2016|website=www.atimes.com|publisher=|access-date=22 November 2016}}</ref> In the aftermath of the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, a groundswell of national unity and consensus emerged for cracking down on the coup plotters with a National Unity rally held in Turkey that included Islamists, secularists, liberals and nationalists.<ref>{{cite web|last=McKirdy |first=Euan |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/08/europe/turkey-coup-unity-rally/ |title=Turkey's Erdogan tells million-strong unity rally: I support death penalty - CNN.com |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date=8 August 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/turkey-istanbul-pro-democracy-rally-160807095400728.html |title=President Erdogan and opposition unite in Turkey rally - News from |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=7 August 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> Erdoğan has used this consensus to remove Gulen followers from the bureaucracy, curtail their role in NGOs, Turkey's Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Turkish military, with 149 Generals discharged.<ref>{{cite web|author=Agence France-Presse |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/28/turkey-purges-military-leaders-in-wake-of-failed-coup |title=Turkish generals resign as government prepares to overhaul armed forces &#124; World news |publisher=The Guardian |date=28 July 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> In a foreign policy shift Erdoğan ordered the Turkish Armed Forces into battle in Syria and has liberated towns from IS control.<ref>{{cite web|author=Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Nick Tattersall |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-dabiq-idUSKBN12G0UK |title=Turkish operations in Syria to continue after Dabiq liberated: Erdogan's spokesman |publisher=Reuters |date=16 October 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> As relations with Europe soured over in the aftermath of the attempted coup, Erdoğan developed alternative relationships with Russia,<ref>{{cite web|author=Shaun Walker in Moscow and Jennifer Rankin in Brussels |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/09/erdogan-meets-putin-leaders-seek-mend-ties-jet-downing-russia-turkey |title=Erdoğan and Putin discuss closer ties in first meeting since jet downing &#124; World news |publisher=The Guardian |date=9 August 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/one-year-halt-in-turkey-russia-ties-over-turkish-pm.aspx?pageID=238&nID=106951&NewsCatID=510 |title=One-year halt in Turkey, Russia ties 'over': Turkish PM - DIPLOMACY |publisher=Hurriyetdailynews.com |date=6 December 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> Saudi Arabia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/954596/saudi-arabia |title=KSA welcomes Erdogan's success against coup attempt |publisher=Arab News |date=21 November 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref> and a "strategic partnership" with Pakistan,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/turkey-pakistan-vow-to-strengthen-ties-further/687871 |title=Turkey, Pakistan vow to strengthen ties further |publisher=Aa.com.tr |date=17 November 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radio.gov.pk/27-Nov-2016/pakistan-turkey-reaffirm-commitment-to-intensify-mutual-cooperation |title=Pakistan, Turkey reaffirm commitment to intensify mutual cooperation |publisher=Radio.gov.pk |date=27 November 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420210758/http://www.radio.gov.pk/27-Nov-2016/pakistan-turkey-reaffirm-commitment-to-intensify-mutual-cooperation |archivedate=20 April 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> with plans to cultivate relations through free trade agreements and deepening military relations for mutual co-operation with Turkey's regional allies.<ref>{{cite web|author=Yusuf Hati̇p |url=http://aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/turkey-pakistan-free-trade-deal-to-be-ready-in-dec/685961 |title=Turkey, Pakistan free trade deal to be ready in Dec |publisher=Aa.com.tr |date=15 November 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=David Rider |url=http://www.marsecreview.com/2016/10/pakisan-turkey-in-navy-drills/ |title=Pakistan, Turkey in navy drills &#124; Maritime Security Review |publisher=Marsecreview.com |date=31 October 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/167333-Pakistan-to-sell-52-Super-Mushshak-aircraft-to-Turkey |title=Pakistan to sell 52 Super Mushshak aircraft to Turkey &#124; Top Story |publisher=thenews.com.pk |date=24 November 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref>

==== Silencing the press ====
[[File:Turkish journalists protesting imprisonment of their colleagues in 2016.jpg|thumb|Turkish journalists protesting imprisonment of their colleagues on Human Rights Day, 10 December 2016]]
President Erdoğan and his government press for court action against the remaining free press in Turkey. The latest newspaper that has been seized is ''Zaman,'' in March 2016.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/05/world/middleeast/recep-tayyip-erdogan-government-seizes-zaman-newspaper.html Turkey Seizes Newspaper, Zaman, as Press Crackdown Continues] (www.nytimes.com, 4 March 2016)</ref> After the seizure Morton Abramowitz and Eric Edelman, former U.S. ambassadors to Turkey, condemned President Erdoğan's actions in an opinion piece published by the ''Washington Post'': "Clearly, democracy cannot flourish under Erdoğan now."<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/turkeys-erdogan-must-reform-or-resign/2016/03/10/80cc9be2-dffe-11e5-9c36-e1902f6b6571_story.html Turkey's Erdogan must reform or resign] (www.washingtonpost.com, 10 March 2016)</ref> "The overall pace of reforms in Turkey has not only slowed down but in some key areas, such as freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary, there has been a regression, which is particularly worrying," rapporteur Kati Piri said in April 2016 after the European Parliament passed its annual progress report on Turkey.<ref name="Deutsche Welle">{{cite web|url=http://www.dw.com/en/european-parliament-slams-turkey-over-deterioration-of-rights-and-democracy/a-19189464|title=European Parliament slams Turkey over deterioration of rights and democracy|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=14 April 2016|accessdate=6 June 2015}}</ref>

On 22 June 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that he considered himself successful in "destroying" Turkish civil groups "working against the state",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-says-civil-society-groups-working-against-turkish-state-largely-destroyed.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100789&NewsCatID=338|title=Erdoğan says 'civil society groups working against Turkish state' largely destroyed|publisher=Hürriyet Daily News|date=22 June 2016|accessdate=23 June 2016}}</ref> a conclusion that had been confirmed some days earlier by Sedat Laçiner, Professor of International Relations and rector of the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University: "Outlawing unarmed and peaceful opposition, sentencing people to unfair punishment under erroneous terror accusations, will feed genuine terrorism in Erdoğan's Turkey. Guns and violence will become the sole alternative for legally expressing free thought."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theturkishsun.com/opponent-or-terrorist-the-dramatically-changing-nature-of-turkish-democracy-20313/|title=Opponent or Terrorist? The dramatically changing nature of Turkish democracy|publisher=The Turkish Sun|date=16 June 2016|accessdate=23 June 2016|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619081327/http://theturkishsun.com/opponent-or-terrorist-the-dramatically-changing-nature-of-turkish-democracy-20313/|archivedate=19 June 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

After the coup attempt, over 200 journalists were arrested and over 120 media outlets were closed. ''Cumhuriyet'' journalists were detained in November 2016 after a long-standing crackdown on the newspaper. Subsequently, Reporters Without Borders called Erdoğan an "enemy of press freedom" and said that he "hides his aggressive dictatorship under a veneer of democracy".<ref>{{cite web|title=Reporters Without Borders labels Erdogan as 'enemy of press freedom'|url=http://www.dw.com/en/reporters-without-borders-labels-erdogan-as-enemy-of-press-freedom/a-36228949|publisher=Deutsche Welle|accessdate=13 November 2016|date=2 November 2016}}</ref>

In April 2017, Turkey blocked all access to Wikipedia over a content dispute.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shieber|first1=Jonathan|title=Wikipedia has been blocked in Turkey|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/29/turkey-blocks-wikipedia-under-law-designed-to-protect-national-security|accessdate=29 April 2017|date=29 April 2017}}</ref>

==== State of emergency and purges ====

On 20 July 2016, President Erdoğan declared the [[Social:State of emergency|state of emergency]], citing the coup d'état attempt as justification.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/turkey-bans-all-academics-from-travelling-in-latest-post-coup-measures/2016/07/20/f3498b44-4de5-11e6-bf27-405106836f96_story.html Turkey declares a state of emergency for three months] (20 July 2016, www.washingtonpost.com)</ref> It was first scheduled to last three months. The Turkish parliament approved this measure.<ref>[http://www.wilx.com/content/news/Turkeys-parliament-approves-state-of-emergency-387811071.html Turkey's parliament approves state of emergency] (21 July 2016, www.wilx.com)</ref> The state of emergency was later extended for another three months, amidst the ongoing 2016 Turkish purges including comprehensive purges of independent media and detention of tens of thousands of Turkish citizens politically opposed to Erdoğan.<ref name="japantimes.co.jp">{{cite news|title=Erdogan derailing Turkey's promising future|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/11/08/commentary/world-commentary/erdogan-derailing-turkeys-promising-future/|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=8 November 2016}}</ref> More than 50,000 people have been arrested and over 160,000 fired from their jobs by March 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-southkorea-politics-park/south-korean-court-jails-former-president-park-for-24-years-idUKKCN1HC2ZR |title=Turkey orders 70 army officers detained over Gulen links - CNN Turk |work=Reuters|date=29 March 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Can Dündar & Erdem Gül.jpg|thumb|Turkish journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül were arrested facing sentences up to life imprisonment.]]
In August 2016, Erdoğan began rounding up journalists who had been publishing, or who were about to publish articles questioning corruption within the Erdoğan administration, and incarcerating them.<ref>[http://www.dw.com/en/erdogan-wants-to-silence-all-opposition-media/a-19100896 Erdoğan wants to silence all opposition media] Deutsche Welle.  3 August 2016.  Downloaded 19 April 2017.</ref>  The number of Turkish journalists jailed by Turkey is higher than any other country, including all of those journalists currently jailed in North Korea, Cuba, Russia, and China combined.<ref name="journalists_jailed"/>
In the wake of the coup attempt of July 2016 the Erdoğan administration began rounding up tens of thousands of individuals, both from within the government, and from the public sector, and incarcerating them on charges of alleged "terrorism."<ref name="WashPost_35k">{{cite web |last1=Morris |first1=Loveday |title=Turkey suspends more than 15,000 education workers in widening purge |date=19 July 2016 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/turkey-jails-generals-as-post-coup-purge-widens/2016/07/19/db076c84-4d1f-11e6-bf27-405106836f96_story.html |accessdate=19 July 2016 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21702511-failed-putsch-was-bloodiest-turkey-has-seen-backlash-worrying-after-coup After the coup, the counter-coup], 23 July 2016, ''[[Finance:The Economist|The Economist]]''</ref><ref name="NYT_countercoup">{{cite web |title=The Counter-Coup in Turkey |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=16 July 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/opinion/the-counter-coup-in-turkey.html |accessdate=16 July 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716175951/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/opinion/the-counter-coup-in-turkey.html |archivedate=16 July 2016 |deadurl=no}}</ref> As a result of these arrests, many in the international community complained about the lack of proper judicial process in the incarceration of Erdoğan's opposition.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-turkey-media-20170302-story.html Turkey’s bleak media scene: Arrests, closures and closed trials] Los Angeles Times.  3 March 2017.  By Roy Gutman.  Downloaded 19 April 2017.</ref>&nbsp;

In April 2017 Erdoğan successfully sponsored legislation effectively making it illegal for the Turkish legislative branch to investigate his executive branch of government.<ref name="2017_referendum">[https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/04/04/erdogan-referendum-threatens-democracy-turkey Erdoğan referendum threatens democracy in Turkey] American Magazine.  By Ryan Richardson. 4 April 2017.  Downloaded 19 Apr 2017.</ref>  Without the checks and balances of freedom of speech, and the freedom of the Turkish legislature to hold him accountable for his actions, many have likened Turkey's current form of government to a dictatorship with only nominal forms of democracy in practice.<ref>[http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/turkeys-vote-makes-erdogan-effectively-a-dictator Turkey's Vote Makes Erdoğan Effectively a Dictator] The New Yorker.  By&nbsp;Dexter Filkins.  17 April 2017.  Downloaded 19 April 2017.</ref><ref name="democracy_falls">[http://www.publicseminar.org/2017/03/the-fall-of-turkish-democracy/#.WPeLKetHarV Ertug Tombus, "The Fall of Turkish Democracy"], Publicseminar.org, 3 March 2017.  Downloaded 19 April 2017.</ref>  At the time of Erdoğan's successful passing of the most recent legislation silencing his opposition, United States President Donald Trump called Erdoğan to congratulate him for his "recent referendum victory."<ref>[https://www.thenation.com/article/trump-to-erdogan-congrats-on-your-dictatorship/ Trump to Erdoğan: Congrats On Your Dictatorship!] The Nation.  By John Nichols.  18 April 2017.  Downloaded 19 April 2017.</ref>

On 29 April 2017 Erdoğan's administration began an internal Internet block of all of the [[Wikipedia]] online encyclopedia site via Turkey's domestic Internet filtering system.  This blocking action took place after the government had first made a request for Wikipedia to remove what it referred to as "offensive content". In response, Wikipedia co-founder [[Biography:Jimmy Wales|Jimmy Wales]] replied via [[Company:Twitter|a post on Twitter]] stating, "Access to information is a fundamental human right.  Turkish people, I will always stand with you and fight for this right."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/world/europe/turkey-purge-wikipedia-tv-dating-shows.html? Turkey Purges 4,000 More Officials, and Blocks Wikipedia] New York Times. By Patrick Kingsley. 30 April 2017.  Downloaded 30 April 2017.</ref><ref>[https://mobile.twitter.com/jimmy_wales/status/858317740616032256 Twitter post by Jimbo Wales] Downloaded 1 May 2017</ref>

In January 2016, more than a thousand academics signed a petition criticizing Turkey's military crackdown on ethnic Kurdish towns and neighbourhoods in the east of the country, such as Sur (a district of [[Place:Diyarbakır|Diyarbakır]]), Silvan, [[Unsolved:Nusaybin|Nusaybin]], [[Place:Cizre|Cizre]] and Silopi, and asking an end to violence.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scholars for Peace: we will not be a party to this crime |author=Samim Akgönül |url=http://www.todayszaman.com/columnists_scholars-for-peace-we-will-not-be-a-party-to-this-crime_409172.html |newspaper=Today's Zaman |date=8 January 2016 |accessdate=22 January 2016 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122082724/http://www.todayszaman.com/columnists_scholars-for-peace-we-will-not-be-a-party-to-this-crime_409172.html |archivedate=22 January 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Erdoğan accused those who signed the petition of "terrorist propaganda", calling them "the darkest of people". He called for action by institutions and universities, stating, "Everyone who benefits from this state but is now an enemy of the state must be punished without further delay."<ref>{{cite journal |author=Brendan O'Malley |title=Lecturers detained, threatened for opposing military action |journal=University World News |issue=396 |date=15 January 2016 |url=http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20160115184937503 |accessdate=22 January 2016}}</ref> Within days, over 30 of the signatories were arrested, many in dawn-time raids on their homes. Although all were quickly released, nearly half were fired from their jobs, eliciting a denunciation from Turkey's Science Academy for such "wrong and disturbing" treatment.<ref>{{cite web|title = Turkish academics pay price for speaking out on Kurds|url = http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/01/turkish-academics-pay-price-speaking-out-kurds|website = sciencemag.org|access-date = 19 January 2016|date = 19 January 2016|last = Bohannon|first = John}}</ref> Erdoğan vowed that the academics would pay the price for "falling into a pit of treachery".<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkish president vows 'treasonous' academics will pay the price |author= |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-president-vows-treasonous-academics-will-pay-the-price.aspx?pageID=238&nID=94128&NewsCatID=339 |newspaper=Hürriyet Daily News |date=20 January 2016 |accessdate=22 January 2016}}</ref>

On 8 July 2018, Erdogan sacked 18,000 officials for alleged ties to US based cleric [[Biography:Fethullah Gülen|Fethullah Gülen]], shortly before renewing his term as an executive president. Of those removed, 9000 were police officers with 5000 from the armed forces with the addition of hundreds of academics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkey-sacks-18000-officials-emergency-decree-erdogan-swears-oath-president-a8437151.html|title=Turkey suddenly sacks 18,000 officials in emergency decree, days before Erdogan is sworn in again|last=|first=|date=9 July 2018|website=Independent|access-date=}}</ref>

===2017 Constitutional Referendum vote===
On Sunday, 16 April 2017, a constitutional referendum was held, where the voters in Turkey (and Turkish citizens abroad) voted on a set of 18 proposed amendments to the Constitution of Turkey. The amendments include the replacement of the existing [[Social:Parliamentary system|parliamentary system]] with a [[Social:Presidential system|presidential system]]. The post of Prime Minister would be abolished, and the presidency would become an executive post vested with broad executive powers. Parliament would be increased from 550 seats to 600 seats. The referendum also called for changes to the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38883556 |title=Why is Turkey holding a referendum? |website=www.bbc.com |date=10 February 2017 |accessdate=26 March 2017}}</ref>

====2018 currency and debt crisis====
{{Main|Finance:Turkish currency and debt crisis, 2018}}
The [[Finance:Turkish currency and debt crisis, 2018|Turkish currency and debt crisis of 2018]] was caused by the Turkish economy's excessive [[Finance:Current account|current account]] deficit and foreign-currency debt, in combination with  Erdoğan's increasing [[Social:Authoritarianism|authoritarianism]] and his unorthodox ideas about [[Finance:Interest rate|interest rate]] policy.<ref name=e101 /><ref name=challenge /><ref name=crash /> Economist [[Biography:Paul Krugman|Paul Krugman]] described the unfolding crisis as "a classic currency-and-debt crisis, of a kind we've seen many times", adding: "At such a time, the quality of leadership suddenly matters a great deal. You need officials who understand what's happening, can devise a response and have enough credibility that markets give them the benefit of the doubt. Some emerging markets have those things, and they are riding out the turmoil fairly well. The Erdoğan regime has none of that."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/opinion/turkey-trump-erdogan.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region|title=Turmoil for Turkey's Trump|date=24 May 2018|author=Paul Krugman|publisher=New York Times}}</ref>

===Foreign Policy===
===Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant===
[[File:President Barack Obama meeting with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.jpg|thumbnail|right|Erdoğan meeting U.S. President Barack Obama during the 2014 Wales summit in Newport, Wales]]

Amid claims that the Turkish government funds IS fighters, several Kurdish demonstrations broke out near the Turkish-Syrian border in protest against the government's inactivity.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29518448|title=Kurds protest againstTurkey as IS advances on Kobane|publisher=''BBC News''|date=7 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> These protests escalated during the fighting in the border town of Kobane, with 42 protestors being killed following a brutal police crackdown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-blames-opposition-world-powers-as-protest-death-toll-rises.aspx?PageID=238&NID=72722&NewsCatID=338|title=Turks PM blames opposition, world powers as protest death toll rises|work=Hürriyet Daily News|date=8 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29530640|title=Turkey Kurds: Kobane protests leave 19 dead|author=Mark Lowen|work=BBC News|date=8 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> Voicing concerns that aid to Kurdish fighters would assist PKK rebels in resuming terrorist attacks against Turkey, Erdoğan held bilateral talks with [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]] regarding IS during the 5–6 September 2014 NATO summit in Newport, Wales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tccb.gov.tr/news/397/90945/president-erdogan-at-the-nato-summit-in-wales.html|title=President Erdogan at the NATO Summit in Wales|date=4 September 2014|publisher=Presidency of the Republic of Turkey|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_erdogan-obama-to-meet-at-nato-summit-amid-strained-ties_357610.html|title=Erdogan, Obama to meet at NATO summit amid strained ties|work=Today's Zaman|date=3 September 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103084951/http://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_erdogan-obama-to-meet-at-nato-summit-amid-strained-ties_357610.html|archivedate=3 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In early October, United States Vice President Joe Biden accused Turkey of funding IS, to which Erdoğan angrily responded, "Biden has to apologize for his statements" adding that if no apology is made, Biden would become "history to me." Biden subsequently apologised.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/05/politics/isis-biden-erdogan-apology/|title=Vice President Joe Biden apologises to Turkey, UAE|last1=Carter|first1=Chelsea J.|last2=Brumfield|first2=Ben|last3=Mazloumsaki|first3=Sara|publisher=''CNN''|date=6 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> In response to the U.S. request to use İncirlik Air Base to conduct air strikes against IS, Erdoğan demanded that Bashar al-Assad be removed from power first.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/07/us-turkey-diplomacy-isis-kurds-kobani|title=US and Turkey's push-and-shove diplomacy has Kurds in the middle|author=Simon Tisdall|publisher=''The Guardian''|date=7 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> Turkey lost its bid for a Security Council seat in the United Nations during the 2014 election;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29654003|title=Turkey loses out on UN Security Council seat|work=BBC News|date=17 October 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref> the unexpected result<ref name=Newsweek>{{cite web|last1=Avni|first1=Benny|title=Turkey Loses U.N. Security Council Seat in Huge Upset|url=http://www.newsweek.com/venezuela-malaysia-angola-new-zealand-win-un-council-seats-277962|website=Newsweek|accessdate=29 December 2015|date=16 October 2014}}</ref> is believed to have been a reaction to Erdoğan's hostile treatment of ethnic Kurds fighting ISIS on the Syrian border<ref name="Turkey Pulse">{{cite web|last1=Idiz|first1=Semih|title=UN vote confirms Turkey's waning influence|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/10/turkey-united-nations-security-council-vote.html|website=Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East|accessdate=29 December 2015|date=17 October 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106051014/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/10/turkey-united-nations-security-council-vote.html|archivedate=6 January 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=TPPI>{{cite web|last1=Smart|first1=James|title=Why Turkey lost its UN Security Council bid|url=http://www.thepressproject.net/article/68467/Why-Turkey-lost-its-UN-Security-Council-bid|website=The Press Project|accessdate=29 December 2015|date=28 October 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024232156/http://www.thepressproject.net/article/68467/Why-Turkey-lost-its-UN-Security-Council-bid|archivedate=24 October 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and a rebuke of his willingness to support IS-aligned insurgents opposed to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.<ref name="Turkey Pulse"/><ref name=TPPI/>

As President, Erdoğan has been a strong advocate of an executive presidency that would boost his own powers and has maintained an active influence over political affairs despite the symbolic nature of his office. In 2016, he was accused of forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu due to his scepticism over the proposed presidential system, resulting in his replacement by close ally Binali Yıldırım. He has also come under fire for constructing Ak Saray, the world's largest palace on Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo for his own use as President and has been repeatedly accused of breaching the constitutional terms of his office by not maintaining political neutrality. In 2015, amid consistent allegations that he maintained financial links with [[Religion:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] militants, revelations that the state was supplying arms to militant groups in [[Place:Syria|Syria]] in the 2014 National Intelligence Organisation lorry scandal led to accusations of high treason.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/links-between-turkey-isis-now-195700510.html|title=Senior Western official: Links between Turkey and ISIS are now 'undeniable'|author=|date=28 July 2015|work=Yahoo Finance}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/gundem/erdogana-vatana-ihanettten-suc-duyurusu-845274/|title=Erdoğan'a vatana ihanetten suç duyurusu|author=|date=|work=sozcu.com.tr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/video/video/44951/Turkiye_yi_sarsan_kaset__iste_Basbakan_ve_Bilal_in_ses_kaydi_.html|title=Cumhuriyet Gazetesi – (Video) Türkiye'yi sarsan kaset: İşte Başbakan ve Bilal'in ses kaydı!|date=25 February 2014|work=cumhuriyet.com.tr}}</ref> 
In July 2015, Turkey became involved in the war against ISIS. The Turkish military has simultaneously launched airstrikes against Kurdistan Workers' Party bases in Iraq.<ref>"[http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-turkey-bombing-kurds-20150729-story.html#page=1 Turkey steps up bombing – but on Kurds, not Islamic State]". {{wipe|Los Angeles Times}}. 29 July 2015.</ref> In July 2015, a raid by US special forces on a compound housing the Islamic State's "chief financial officer", Abu Sayyaf, produced evidence that Turkish officials directly dealt with ranking IS members.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bertrand|first1=Natasha|title=Senior Western official: Links between Turkey and ISIS are now 'undeniable'|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/links-between-turkey-isis-now-195700510.html|date=28 July 2015}}</ref>

=== Bilateral relations ===
[[File:The opening of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque (2015-09-23) 12.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mahmoud Abbas attend Moscow's Cathedral Mosque opening ceremony, 23 September 2015]]
[[File:President Trump and President Erdoğan joint statement in the Roosevelt Room, May 16, 2017.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan meets with President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, Washington, D.C., 16 May 2017]]
In July 2014, after Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first president to gain power through an election, was ousted by the military in 2013, Erdoğan labeled newly elected Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi an "illegitimate tyrant".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/turkey-pm-erdogan-slams-egypts-illegitimate-tyrant-sisi-130905463.html|title=Turkey PM slams Egypt's 'illegitimate tyrant' Sisi|publisher=''Yahoo News''|date=18 July 2014|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref>The Egyptian Foreign Ministry warned that the Egypt–Turkey relationship would be worsened.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/egypt-warns-turkey-of-worsening-relations-1406396932 |title=Cairo Warns Ankara of Worsening Relations |work=Wall Street Journal|date=26 July 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726200409/http://online.wsj.com/articles/egypt-warns-turkey-of-worsening-relations-1406396932 |archivedate=26 July 2014}}</ref>

In February 2016 Erdoğan threatened to send the millions of refugees in Turkey to EU member states,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://euobserver.com/migration/132233|title=Erdogan to EU: 'We're not idiots', threatens to send refugees|website=EUobserver|date=11 February 2016}}</ref> saying: "We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and we can put the refugees on buses ... So how will you deal with refugees if you don't get a deal? Kill the refugees?"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-eu-turkey-idUSKCN0VH1R0|title=Turkey's Erdogan threatened to flood Europe with migrants: Greek website|website=Reuters|date=8 February 2016}}</ref>

In an interview to the news magazine ''Der Spiegel'', the German minister of defence Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday, 11 March 2016, that the refugee crisis had made good cooperation between EU and Turkey an "existentially important" issue. "Therefore it is right to advance now negotiations on Turkey's EU accession".<ref>[http://www.trtworld.com/europe/germany-voices-support-for-accelerating-turkey-eu-talks-65967 Germany voices support for accelerating Turkey-EU talks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313032120/http://www.trtworld.com/europe/germany-voices-support-for-accelerating-turkey-eu-talks-65967 |date=13 March 2016 }} (www.trtworld.com, 12 March 2016)</ref>

In its resolution "The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey" from 22 June 2016, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe warned that "recent developments in Turkey pertaining to freedom of the media and of expression, erosion of the rule of law and the human rights violations in relation to anti-terrorism security operations in south-east Turkey have&nbsp;... raised serious questions about the  functioning of its democratic institutions."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://venice.coe.int/files/turkish%20declaration%20June%202015.pdf| title=Venice Commission Declaration on Interference with Judicial Independence in Turkey. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Resolution 2121 (2016)| date=22 June 2016| access-date=20 July 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rights-violations-terror-ops-threaten-turkeys-democratic-institutions-pace.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100835&NewsCatID=339|title=Rights violations, terror ops threaten Turkey's democratic institutions: PACE|publisher=Hürriyet Daily News|date=23 June 2016|accessdate=23 June 2016}}</ref>

Relations between Turkey and Israel began to normalize after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu officially apologized for the death of the nine Turkish activists during the Gaza flotilla raid.<ref>{{cite news|title=Netanyahu apologizes to Turkey over Gaza flotilla|url=http://www.jpost.com/International/Obama-Netanyahu-Erdogan-speak-by-phone-307423|accessdate=30 August 2014|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|date=22 March 2014|last=Keinon|first=Herb}}</ref> However, in response to the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, Erdoğan accused Israel of being "more barbaric than Hitler",<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkish Prime Minister says Israel is 'more barbaric than Hitler'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/turkish-prime-minister-says-israel-is-more-barbaric-than-hitler-9617145.html|newspaper=The Independent|date=20 July 2014|accessdate=4 December 2014}}</ref> and conducting "[[Social:State terrorism|state terrorism]]" and a "genocide attempt" against the Palestinians.<ref>{{cite news|title=Erdogan accuses Israel of 'using terrorism' in its operations against Hamas in Gaza|url=http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Erdogan-accuses-Israel-of-using-terrorism-in-its-operations-against-Hamas-in-Gaza-362759|accessdate=18 July 2014|last=Ben Solomon|first=Ariel|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|date=14 July 2014}}</ref>

As of 2015, Turkey is actively supporting the Army of Conquest,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-crisis-turkey-and-saudi-arabia-shock-western-countries-by-supporting-antiassad-jihadists-10242747.html |title=Turkey and Saudi Arabia alarm the West by backing Islamist extremists the Americans had bombed in Syria  |author=Kim Sengupta |newspaper=The Independent |date=12 May 2015}}</ref> an umbrella Syrian rebel group that reportedly includes an [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]] linked [[Religion:Al-Nusra Front|al-Nusra Front]] and another [[Religion:Salafi jihadism|Salafi]] coalition known as Ahrar al-Sham.<ref>"[http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/12392/21/Gulf-allies-and-%E2%80%98Army-of-Conquest%E2%80%99.aspx Gulf allies and 'Army of Conquest']". ''Al-Ahram Weekly''. 28 May 2015.</ref><ref>"[https://news.yahoo.com/army-conquest-rebel-alliance-pressures-syria-regime-090529121.html 'Army of Conquest' rebel alliance pressures Syria regime]". Yahoo News. 28 April 2015.</ref> Al-Nusra Front and [[Religion:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State]] (ISIL) sometimes cooperate with each other when they fight against the Syrian government.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/jabhat-al-nusra-isis-alliance-could-spread-beyond-damascus-1877819 |title=Jabhat Al-Nusra And ISIS Alliance Could Spread Beyond Damascus |author=Erin Banco |newspaper=''International Business Times'' |date=11 April 2015}}</ref><ref>"[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11230622/How-would-a-deal-between-al-Qaeda-and-Isil-change-Syrias-civil-war.html How would a deal between al-Qaeda and Isil change Syria's civil war?]". ''The Daily Telegraph''. 14 November 2014</ref> In late November 2016, Erdoğan said that the Turkish military launched its operations in Syria to end Assad's rule,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-entered-syria-to-end-al-assads-rule-president-erdogan.aspx?PageID=238&NID=106709&NewsCatID=352|title=Turkey entered Syria to end al-Assad's rule: President Erdoğan|publisher=Hurriyet Daily News|date=29 November 2016}}</ref> but retracted his statement shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/12/erdogan-syria-policy-turkey-dead-end-aleppo.html|title=Erdogan's Syria policy hits dead end in Aleppo|publisher=Al-Monitor|date=4 December 2016|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207190823/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/12/erdogan-syria-policy-turkey-dead-end-aleppo.html|archivedate=7 December 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In March 2015, Erdoğan said that Turkey supported the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the [[Religion:Shia Islam|Shia]] Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.<ref name="Iran">{{cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20150326-turkey-support-saudi-yemen-erdogan-interview-france-24|work=France24|title=Turkey supports Saudi mission in Yemen, says Iran must withdraw|date=26 March 2015}}</ref>

Erdoğan is defender of the Crimean Tatars' minority rights.<ref>"[http://www.ibtimes.com/defeat-russia-ukraine-creates-muslim-military-unit-made-crimean-tatars-2036618 To Defeat Russia, Ukraine Creates Muslim Military Unit Made Up Of Crimean Tatars]". ''International Business Times''. 3 August 2015.</ref> On 20 August 2016 Erdoğan told his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko that Turkey would not recognize the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea; calling it "Crimea's occupation".<ref>[http://www.rferl.mobi/a/russia-turkey-poroshenko-erdogan-crimea-russia-recognize/27935596.html Erdogan Tells Poroshenko Turkey Won't Recognize Crimea As Russian], Radio Free Europe (20 August 2016)</ref>

In January 2017, Erdoğan said that the withdrawal of Turkish troops from [[Place:Northern Cyprus|Northern Cyprus]] is "out of the question" and Turkey will be in Cyprus "forever".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-13/cyprus-reunification-talks-to-reconvene-next-week-as-deal-stalls|title= Erdogan Vows to Keep Turkish Troops in Cyprus as Talks Stall|publisher= Bloomberg|date=13 January 2017|access-date=13 January 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 01.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan, Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met in Sochi to discuss Syria, 22 November 2017]]

In March 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated to the Turks in Europe "Make not three, but five children. Because you are the future of Europe. That will be the best response to the injustices against you." This has been interpreted as an imperialist call for demographic warfare.<ref>{{cite news|title='You Are the Future of Europe,' Erdogan Tells Turks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/17/world/europe/erdogan-turkey-future-of-europe.html|last= Goldman |first=Russell|publisher=The New York Times|date=17 March 2017|access-date=17 March 2017}}</ref>

Bilateral trade between Turkey and China increased from $1 billion a year in 2002 to $27 billion annually in 2017.<ref name="wapochina">{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Adam|title=U.S. ally Turkey may have a new best friend in Beijing|url=China–Turkey relations|accessdate=17 May 2017|agency=Washington Post|date=16 May 2017}}</ref> Erdoğan has stated that Turkey might consider joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation instead of the European Union.<ref>{{cite news|title=China says would consider Turkish membership of security bloc|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-turkey-idUSKBN13G0SS|accessdate=17 May 2017|agency=Reuters|date=21 November 2016}}</ref>

In June 2017 during a speech, Erdoğan called the isolation of Qatar as "inhumane and against Islamic values" and that "victimising Qatar through smear campaigns serves no purpose".<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkey's Erdogan decries Qatar's 'inhumane' isolation|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40261479|work=BBC|date=13 June 2017}}</ref>

According to ''[[Finance:The Economist|The Economist]]'', Erdoğan is the first Turkish leader to take the Turkish diaspora seriously, which has created friction within these diaspora communities and between the Turkish government and several of its European counterparts.<ref>{{cite news|title=How Recep Tayyip Erdogan seduces Turkish migrants in Europe|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21727921-big-diaspora-complicates-european-relations-turkey-how-recep-tayyip-erdogan-seduces|accessdate=2 September 2017|work=[[Finance:The Economist|The Economist]]|date=31 August 2017}}</ref>

In December 2017, President Erdoğan issued a warning to Donald Trump, after the U.S. President acknowledged [[Place:Jerusalem|Jerusalem]] as Israel's capitol. Erdoğan stated, "Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims", indicating that naming Jerusalem as Israel's capitol would alienate Palestinians and other Muslims from the city, undermining hopes at a future Capitol of a Palestinian State.<ref name="Naftali Bennett"/> Erdoğan called Israel a "terrorist state".<ref>"[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/erdogan-israel-terrorist-state-171211085734826.html Erdogan: Israel is a terrorist state]". ''Al-Jazeera''. 11 December 2017.</ref> Naftali Bennett dismissed the threats, claiming "Erdoğan does not miss an opportunity to attack Israel".<ref name="Naftali Bennett">{{cite news|title=Jerusalem: Turkey warns Trump against crossing 'red line'|publisher= BBC News|date=5 December 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42232158}}</ref>

In January 2018, the Turkish military and its Free Syrian Army and Sham Legion allies began a cross-border operation in the Kurdish-majority Afrin Canton in Northern Syria, against the Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the U.S.-supported YPG Kurdish militia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/erdogan-operation-syria-afrin-begun-180120120424928.html|title=Erdogan: Operation in Syria's Afrin has begun|publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-afrin/turkish-army-hit-village-in-syrias-afrin-with-suspected-gas-kurdish-ypg-observatory-idUSKCN1G02JE Turkish army hit village in Syria's Afrin with suspected gas: Kurdish YPG, Observatory]. Reuters. 16 February 2018.</ref> On 10 April, Erdoğan rebuked a Russian demand to return Afrin to Syrian government control.<ref>{{cite news|date=10 April 2018|title=Turkey refutes Russian call for Syria's Afrin|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-refutes-russian-call-for-syrias-afrin-130097}}</ref>

[[File:TANAP OPEN 2018-06-12 (2).jpg|thumb|Presidents of Turkey, [[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]] and {{wipe|Ukraine}} at the opening ceremony of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline, 12 June 2018]]
In February 2018, President Erdoğan expressed Turkish support of the Republic of Macedonia's position during negotiations over the Macedonia naming dispute saying that Greece's position is wrong.<ref name="NeosKosmosstance">{{cite web|author=Neos Kosmos|title=Turkey's president claims Greece's stance over 'Macedonia' name dispute is wrong|url=http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/Turkeys-president-claims-Greeces-stance-on-Macedonia-name-dispute-is-wrong|publisher=Neos Kosmos|accessdate=11 February 2018}}</ref>

In March 2018, President Erdoğan  criticized the Kosovan Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj for dismissing his Interior Minister and Intelligence Chief for failing to inform him of an unauthorized and illegal secret operation conducted by the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey on Kosovo's territory that led to the arrest of six people allegedly associated with the Gülen movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euronews.com/2018/03/31/erdogan-attacks-kosovo-prime-minister-for-sacking-officials-who-sanctioned-teacher-kidnap|title=Erdogan slams Kosovo PM over sackings after Gulen-linked deportations|publisher=Euronews|accessdate=31 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-intelligence-director-and-internal-minister-dismissed-over-turkish-arrested-men-03-30-2018|title=Kosovo Minister and Spy Chief Sacked Over Turkish Arrests|publisher=BIRN|accessdate=30 March 2018}}</ref>

In May 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed Erdoğan to the {{wipe|United Kingdom}} for a three-day state visit. Erdoğan declared that the United Kingdom is "an ally and a strategic partner, but also a real friend ... The cooperation we have is well beyond any mechanism that we have established with other partners."<ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/president-erdogan-theresa-may-post-brexit-trade-turkey-a8351531.html Post-Brexit, the UK will need Turkey for trade – and Erdogan is using that to his advantage]". ''The Independent.'' 14 May 2018.</ref> Erdoğan also told Theresa May that journalists jailed in Turkey are "terrorists". Turkey has imprisoned more than 160 journalists,<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/recep-tayyip-erdogan-theresa-may-uk-state-visit-jailed-journalists-terrorists Erdoğan ends UK state visit by calling jailed journalists 'terrorists']". ''The Guardian.'' 15 May 2018.</ref> making it the world's biggest jailer of journalists.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/world/europe/journalists-jailed-committee-to-protect-journalists.html Number of Jailed Journalists Hits Record High, Advocacy Group Says]". ''The New York Times.'' 13 December 2017.</ref>

On 1 August 2018, the U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned two senior Turkish government ministers who were involved in the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.<ref>{{cite news |title=US sanctions Turkish officials over detained pastor |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-administration-to-sanction-turkish-officials-over-imprisonment-of-american-pastor-andrew-brunson/ |work=Politico |date=August 1, 2018}}</ref> Erdoğan said that the U.S. behavior will force Turkey to look for new friends and allies.<ref>"[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/dont-force-turkey-to-look-for-other-friends-erdogan-addresses-us-in-nyt-article-135685 US changing strategic NATO partner with pastor, Turkish President Erdoğan says]". ''Hürriyet Daily News''. August 11, 2018.</ref> The U.S.–Turkey tensions appear to be the most serious diplomatic crisis between the NATO allies in years.<ref>{{cite news |title=US sanctions Turkey over Pastor Brunson detention |url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/us-sanctions-turkey-over-pastor-brunson-detention-1.756238 |work=The National |date=August 1, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey, US in diplomatic crisis after ministers hit by sanctions |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/turkey-us-in-diplomatic-crisis-after-ministers-hit-by-sanctions/articleshow/65243086.cms |work=The Times of India |date=August 2, 2018}}</ref>

==Image and perception==
Early during his prime ministership, Erdoğan was praised as a role model for emerging Middle Eastern nations due to several reform packages initiated by his government which expanded religious freedoms and minority rights as part of accession negotiations with the [[Social:European Union|European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/has-recep-tayyip-erdogan-gone-from-model-middle-east-strongman-to-tinpot-dictator-9252366.html|title=Has Recep Tayyip Erdogan gone from model Middle East 'strongman' to tin-pot dictator?|last=Fisk|first=Robert|date=10 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=The Independent}}</ref> However, his government underwent several crises including the Sledgehammer and Ergenekon cases against the Turkish Armed Forces, corruption scandals, accusations of media intimidation, as well as the pursuit of an increasingly polarising political agenda; the opposition accused the government of inciting political hatred throughout the country.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gülen acquitted of trying to overthrow secular government |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/gulen-acquitted-of-trying-to-overthrow-secular-government.aspx?pageID=438&n=gulen-acquitted-of-trying-to-overthrow-secular-government-2006-05-06 |newspaper=Hürriyet Daily News |agency=AP |date=6 May 2006 |accessdate=22 January 2016}}</ref>

===Ottomanism===
[[File:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Mahmoud Abbas.jpg|thumb|180px|Erdoğan meeting Palestinian President Abbas in Erdogan's Presidential Palace]]
As President, Erdoğan has overseen a revival of [[Place:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] tradition, greeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with an Ottoman-style ceremony in the new presidential palace, with guards dressed in costumes representing founders of 16 Great Turkish Empires in history.<ref name=Presidency>{{cite web|url=http://www.tccb.gov.tr/sayfa/cumhurbaskanligi/fors/|title=T.C. CUMHURBAŞKANLIĞI : Cumhurbaşkanlığı|author=cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr|work=tccb.gov.tr}}</ref> While serving as the Prime Minister of Turkey, Erdoğan's AKP made references to the Ottoman era during election campaigns, such as calling their supporters 'grandsons of Ottomans' ''(Osmanlı torunu).''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taraf.com.tr/politika/akpnin-sarkisinda-uzun-adam-gitti-osmanli-torunu-geldi/|title=AKP'nin şarkısında 'Uzun adam' gitti 'Osmanlı torunu' geldi ! – Taraf Gazetesi|author=Oktay Özilhan|work=Taraf Gazetesi|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208184432/http://www.taraf.com.tr/politika/akpnin-sarkisinda-uzun-adam-gitti-osmanli-torunu-geldi/|archivedate=8 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> This proved controversial, since it was perceived to be an open attack against the republican nature of modern Turkey founded by [[Biography:Mustafa Kemal Atatürk|Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]. In 2015, Erdoğan made a statement in which he endorsed the old Ottoman term ''külliye'' to refer to university campuses rather than the standard Turkish word ''kampüs''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilk-kursun.com/haber/212703/erdogan-kampus-degil-kulliye/|title=Erdoğan: Kampus değil, külliye|author=|date=|work=ilk-kursun.com}}</ref> Many critics have thus accused Erdoğan of wanting to become an Ottoman [[Religion:Sultan|sultan]] and abandon the secular and democratic credentials of the Republic.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/recep-tayyip-erdogan-the-new-sultan-now-has-a-new-palace--and-it-has-cost-turkish-taxpayers-400m-9841319.html|title=Recep Tayyip Erdogan: The 'new sultan' now has a new palace – and it has cost Turkish taxpayers £400m|work=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/erdogan-is-turkeys-new-sultan-1407865770|title=Erdogan Is Turkey's New Sultan – WSJ|date=13 August 2014|work=WSJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21612237-recep-tayyip-erdogans-plans-presidency-next-sultan|title=The next sultan?|author=|date=16 August 2014|work=The Economist}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/11380281/Turkeys-president-is-not-acting-like-the-Queen-he-is-acting-like-a-sultan.html|title='Turkey's president is not acting like the Queen – he is acting like a sultan'|date=2 February 2015|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> When pressed on this issue in January 2015, Erdoğan denied these claims and said that he would aim to be more like Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom rather than like an Ottoman sultan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/11380355/Turkish-president-Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan-I-want-to-be-like-Queen-of-UK.html|title=Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan: I want to be like Queen of UK|date=30 January 2015|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>

===Authoritarianism===
In response to criticism, Erdoğan made a speech in May 2014 denouncing allegations of dictatorship, saying that the leader of the opposition, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was there at the speech, would not be able to "roam the streets" freely if he was a dictator.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/76193/Kilicdaroglu__Uc_gun_sussa_huzur_olur.html|title=Kılıçdaroğlu: Üç gün sussa huzur olur|language=Turkish|trans-title=Kılıçdaroğlu: Three days peace is suspect|date=27 May 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Kılıçdaroğlu responded that political tensions would cease to exist if Erdoğan stopped making his polarising speeches for three days.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chp.org.tr/?p=148819|title=Genel Başkan Kılıçdaroğlu, 'Diktatörlerin ortak özelliği çok korkak olmalarıdır' dedi ve 'Diktatör değilim' diyen Erdoğan'a, o zaman diktatör bozuntususun" diye seslendi|language=Turkish|trans-title=President to 'The common features of dictators is that they are too cowardly'|date=27 May 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> One observer said it was a measure of the state of Turkish democracy that Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu could openly threaten, on 20 December 2015, that, if his party did not win the election, Turkish Kurds would endure a repeat of the era of the "white Toros", the Turkish name for the Renault 12, "a car associated with the gendarmarie's fearsome intelligence agents, who carried out thousands of extrajudicial executions of Kurdish nationalists during the 1990s."<ref name = "NYRB CdeB">{{Cite journal |last= de Bellaigue |first= Christopher |year= 2015 |title= The Sultan of Turkey |url= http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2015/12/17/erdogan-sultan-turkey/ |journal= The New York Review of Books |volume= 62 |number= 20 |pages= 85–87 |accessdate= 28 January 2016 }}</ref> In February 2015, a 13-year-old was arrested after allegedly criticising Erdoğan on Facebook.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilk-kursun.com/haber/218880/13-yasindaki-cocuk-erdogana-hakaretten-ifade-verdi/|title=13 yaşındaki çocuk, Erdoğan'a hakaretten ifade verdi – İlk Kurşun Gazetesi|author=|date=|work=ilk-kursun.com}}</ref> In 2016, a waiter was arrested for not serving tea to Erdoğan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/siyaset/650617/_Erdogan_a_cay_vermem__dedigi_icin_tutuklanan_kantin_sorumlumuz_Senol_Buran_TBMM_gundeminde.html/|title='Erdoğan'a çay vermem' dediği için tutuklanan kantin sorumlumuz Şenol Buran TBMM gündeminde |author=|date=|work=Cumhuriyet}}</ref>

Erdogan has served as the ''de facto'' leader of [[Place:Turkey|Turkey]] since 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/alon-benmeir/how-turkey-became-a-de-fa_b_9932160.html|title=How Turkey Became a De Facto Dictatorship|last=Ben-Meir|first=Alon|date=2016-05-12|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-13746679|title=Erdogan: Turkey's pugnacious president|date=2017-04-17|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-06-22|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://time.com/4410491/turkey-president-erdogan-history/|title=How Turkey's Erdogan First Came to Power|website=Time|language=en|access-date=2018-06-22}}</ref>

In April 2014, the President of the Constitutional Court, Haşim Kılıç, accused Erdoğan of damaging the credibility of the judiciary, labelling Erdoğan's attempts to increase political control over the courts as 'desperate'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/1a4b7676-cc7e-11e3-9b5f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3KwGSkViN|title=Turkey's top judge accuses Erdogan of damaging rule of law|work=Financial Times|date=25 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|first=Daniel|last=Dombey}}</ref> During the chaotic 2007 presidential election, the military issued an E-memorandum warning the government to keep within the boundaries of secularism when choosing a candidate. Regardless, Erdoğan's close relations with Fethullah Gülen and his Cemaat Movement allowed his government to maintain a degree of influence within the judiciary through Gülen's supporters in high judicial and bureaucratic offices.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25885817|work=BBC|title=Fethullah Gulen: Powerful but reclusive Turkish cleric|last=Franks|first=Tim|date=27 January 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/battle-lines-drawn-struggle-influence-over-turkish-judiciary-135714630.html|title=Battle lines drawn in struggle for influence over Turkish judiciary|last1=Ozbilgin|first1=Ozbe|last2=Butler|first2=Daren|date=1 September 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=Yahoo News}}</ref> Shortly after, an alleged coup plot codenamed Sledgehammer became public and resulted in the imprisonment of 300 military officers including İbrahim Fırtına, Çetin Doğan and Engin Alan. Several opposition politicians, journalists and military officers also went on trial for allegedly being part of an ultra-nationalist organisation called Ergenekon.

[[File:Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan react to anti-Erdogan supporters outside the White House in Washington 01.jpg|thumb|Erdoğan's supporters outside the White House in [[Place:Washington, D.C.|Washington, D.C.]], 16 May 2017]]
Both cases were marred by irregularities and were condemned as a joint attempt by Erdoğan and Gülen to curb opposition to the AKP.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ilkehaber.com/yazdir/haber/yargitay-kosulsuz-kaos-dedi--9772.htm|title=Yargıtay 'koşulsuz kaos' dedi|work=ilkehaber|language=Turkish|trans-title=Supreme Court in "unconditional chaos"|date=4 December 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> The original Sledgehammer document containing the coup plans, allegedly written in 2003, was found to have been written using Microsoft Word 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65959|title=Turkey: What happens after the "Sledgehammer" Verdict|first=Yigal|last=Schleifer|date=25 September 2012|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=eurasianet}}</ref> Despite both domestic and international calls for these irregularities to be addressed in order to guarantee a fair trial, Erdoğan instead praised his government for bringing the coup plots to light.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ulusalkanal.com.tr/gundem/akpli-mustafa-elitasin-ergenekon-tertibinde-rol-aldigi-ortaya-cikti-ses-kaydiyla-h8460.html|title=AKP'li Mustafa Elitaş'ın Ergenekon tertibinde rol aldığı ortaya çıktı! Ses kaydıyla|language=Turkish|trans-title=AKP'li Mustafa Elitaş'ın Ergenekon's scheme stars in voice recording|date=25 January 2013|accessdate=5 December 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113144228/http://www.ulusalkanal.com.tr/gundem/akpli-mustafa-elitasin-ergenekon-tertibinde-rol-aldigi-ortaya-cikti-ses-kaydiyla-h8460.html|archivedate=13 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> When Gülen publicly withdrew support and openly attacked Erdoğan in late 2013, several imprisoned military officers and journalists were released, with the government admitting that the judicial proceedings were unfair.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aa.com.tr/tr/tag/298101--ilker-basbug-tahliye-edildi|title=İlker Başbuğ serbest bırakıldı|language=Turkish|trans-title=İlker Başbuğ released|date=7 March 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=Anadolu Ajansi}}</ref>

When Gülen withdrew support from the AKP government in late 2013, a government corruption scandal broke out, leading to the arrest of several family members of cabinet ministers. Erdoğan accused Gülen of co-ordinating a "[[Social:Parallel state|parallel state]]" within the judiciary in an attempt to topple him from power. He then removed or reassigned several judicial officials in an attempt to remove Gülen's supporters from office. Erdoğan's 'purge' was widely questioned and criticised by the European Union.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/21/brussels-turkey-prime-minister-erdogan-rewrite-law-judiciary-police|title=Brussels urges Turkish PM Erdogan to redraft law purging police and judiciary|last1=Traynor|first1=Ian|last2=Letsch|first2=Constanze|date=22 January 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=The Guardian}}</ref> In early 2014, a new law was passed by parliament giving the government greater control over the judiciary, which sparked public protest throughout the country. International organisations perceived the law to be a danger to the [[Philosophy:Separation of powers|separation of powers]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.cnnturk.com/video/2014/01/17/programlar/dort-bir-taraf/turkiye-deki-yargi-sistemi-hsyk-yasasinin-gelecegi-ve-17-aralik-sureci-dort-bir-taraf-16-01-2014/2014-01-16T2130/index.html|title=Türkiye'deki yargı sistemi, HSYK 'nın yapısı ve 17 Aralık sürecinde paralel devlet ve yolsuzluk iddiaları masaya yatırıldı.|language=Turkish|trans-title=The judicial system in Turkey|work=CNN Türk|date=16 January 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref>

Several judicial officials removed from their posts said that they had been removed due to their secularist credentials. The political opposition accused Erdoğan of not only attempting to remove Gülen supporters, but supporters of [[Biography:Mustafa Kemal Atatürk|Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]'s principles as well, in order to pave the way for increased politicisation of the judiciary. Several family members of Erdoğan's ministers who had been arrested as a result of the 2013 corruption scandal were released, and a judicial order to question Erdoğan's son Bilal Erdoğan was annulled.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haberfedai.com/haber/12792/bilal-erdogan-artik-yakalanmayacak|title=Bilal Erdoğan artık 'yakalanmayacak'|language=Turkish|trans-title=Bilal Erdogan is no longer under arrest|date=16 January 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=haberfedai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113150045/http://www.haberfedai.com/haber/12792/bilal-erdogan-artik-yakalanmayacak|archive-date=13 November 2014|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Controversy erupted when it emerged that many of the newly appointed judicial officials were actually AKP supporters.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/siyaset/37959/Hakim_ve_savcilar_AKP_li_cikti_.html|title=Hakim ve savcılar AKP'li çıktı!|language=Turkish|trans-title=Judges and prosecutors outed as AKP|work=cumhuriyet|date=5 February 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> İslam Çiçek, a judge who ejected the cases of five ministers' relatives accused of corruption, was accused of being an AKP supporter and an official investigation was launched into his political affiliations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samanyoluhaber.com/gundem/Reza-Zarrabi-tahliye-eden-hakimin-Facebook-bilgileri-sasirtti/1042852/|title=Tahliye kararı veren hakim İslam Çiçek, Facebook'ta Uzun Adam hayranı çıktı!
|language=Turkish|trans-title=Judge Islam Çiçek's decisions vacated, Facebook claims links to Uzun Adam|date=1 May 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014|work=amanyolu haber}}</ref> On 1 September 2014, the courts dissolved the cases of 96 suspects, which included Bilal Erdoğan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilkelihaber.com/index.php?id=5589452&ad=%2025%20Aral%FDk%20Yolsuzluk%20Soru%FEturmas%FD%20Kapat%FDld%FD|title= 25 Aralık Yolsuzluk Soruşturması Kapatıldı |language=Turkish|trans-title=Corruption investigation closed on 25 December|work=ilkelihaber|date=1 September 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref>

===Accusations of antisemitism===
Erdoğan referred to the Turkish novelist and Islamist ideologue, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, as his muse. Kısakürek was regarded by some analysts, such as Günther Jikeli and Kemal Silay, as the source of his views on [[Religion:Jews|Jews]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Halil M. Karaveli and M.K. Kaya|title=ISLAMIC CONSERVATIVE|url=http://www.silkroadstudies.org/new/inside/turkey/2009/091109B.html|publisher=Turkey Analyst vol. 2 no. 20|accessdate=17 August 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509094335/http://www.silkroadstudies.org/new/inside/turkey/2009/091109B.html|archivedate=9 May 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Günther Jikeli and Kemal Silay|title='Spawn of Israel': Erdogan's anti-Semitic obsessions|url=http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.592114}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Singer|first1=Sean R.|title=Erdogan's Muse: The School of Necip Fazil Kisakurek|url=http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/erdogan%E2%80%99s-muse-school-necip-fazil-kisakurek|publisher=World Affairs Journal|accessdate=13 August 2014}}</ref> Kısakürek's publications included the Turkish translation of ''The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' and praise for industrialist Henry Ford's ''The International Jew'', as well as a political program in which he wrote: "Chief among these treacherous and insidious elements to be cleansed are the Dönmeh and the Jews".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kısakürek|first1=Necip Fazıl|title=Ideolocya örgüsü|date=1968|publisher=Büyük Doğu Yayınları|location=İstanbul|isbn=9789758180325|page=71|edition=10. basım.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Marc David|last= Baer|title=An Enemy Old and New: The Dönme, Anti-Semitism, and Conspiracy Theories in the Ottoman Empire and Turkish Republic |url=https://www.academia.edu/5437676/An_Enemy_Old_and_New_The_Donme_Anti-Semitism_and_Conspiracy_Theories_in_the_Ottoman_Empire_and_Turkish_Republic|publisher=''Jewish Quarterly Review'' 103.4 (2013): 523–555|accessdate=12 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://muse.jhu.edu/|title=Project MUSE|publisher=|accessdate=19 June 2016}}</ref> In 1974, as president of the Beyoğlu Youth Group of the Islamist MSP Party, Erdoğan wrote, directed and played the lead role in a play titled "Mas-Kom-Ya" (Mason-Komünist-Yahudi [Mason-Communist-Jew]), which presented freemasonry, [[Social:Communism|communism]] and Judaism as evil.<ref>{{cite web|title=Antisemitism in the Turkish Media (Part III): Targeting Turkey's Jewish Citizens|url=https://www.memri.org/reports/antisemitism-turkish-media-part-iii-targeting-turkeys-jewish-citizens|website=memri}}</ref> A 2009 report issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said that Erdoğan "indirectly incites and encourages" antisemitism.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ravid|first=Barak|title=Israel accuses Turkish PM of inciting anti-Semitism|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-accuses-turkish-pm-of-inciting-anti-semitism-1.265790|accessdate=3 August 2014}}</ref> In 2013, Erdoğan was placed second on the Simon Wiesenthal Center's list of the year's top ten antisemitic personalities, after Erdoğan blamed the "interest rate lobby" as organizers of the mass protests against him in cities around the country in June 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title='Spawn of Israel': Erdogan's anti-Semitic obsessions|url=http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.592114|work=[[Social:Haaretz|Haaretz]]}}</ref> In another quote that was regarded as antisemitic, he said "When the word 'media' is pronounced, Israel and Israel's administration comes to mind. They have the ability to manipulate it as they wish." He then claimed that not only the international press but also Turkish newspapers were run by Israel.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rosenfeld|first1=edited by Alvin H.|title=Resurgent antisemitism global perspectives|date=2013|publisher=Indiana Univ. Press|location=Bloomington [u.a.]|isbn=0253008905|page=318|url=https://books.google.com/?id=M3ZJMYiNe0UC&lpg=PA319&dq=%22pronounced%2C+Israel+and+Israel%E2%80%99s+administration%22&pg=PA318#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref> During the campaign for the Turkish elections in June 2015, Erdoğan accused ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'' of being represented by "Jewish capital" after foreign media outlets expressed concern over the corrosion of freedom of expression in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Erdogan-ahead-of-elections-Jewish-capital-behind-New-York-Times-405202|title=Erdogan ahead of elections: 'Jewish money behind New York Times'|date=6 June 2015|work=Jerusalem Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/06/10/17-things-turkeys-erdogan-has-said-about-journalists/|title=17 things Turkey's Erdogan has said about journalists|date=10 June 2015|work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.659931|title=Turkey's Erdogan: 'Jewish Capital' Is Behind New York Times|date=7 June 2015|work=Haaretz}}</ref>

As a younger man, in 1974, Erdogan wrote, directed, and gave himself the lead role in the play ''Mas-Kom-Ya'', which presented freemasonry, communism, and Judaism as world evils.<ref name=SilayJikeli/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazetevatan.com/ve-erdogan-sahnede--447456-gundem/|title=Ve Erdoğan sahnede!|agency=Gazeta Vatan|date=May 2, 2015|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> The play features a Muslim factory worker, who sent his son to Europe where the son became influenced by the West, ultimately ending with a Jewish "agitator" posing as a Muslim Turk and inciting the workers against the factory owner, who dies; at one climatic moment, a devoutly Muslim character shouts "all evil regimes are inventions of Jews!"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/05/15/a-turkish-tv-blockbuster-reveals-erdogans-conspiratorial-anti-semitic-worldview/|title=A Turkish TV blockbuster reveals Erdogan's conspiratorial, anti-Semitic worldview|agency=Washington Times|author=Aykan Erdemir and Oren Kessler|date=May 15, 2017|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.avlaremoz.com/2016/01/02/masonlar-komunistler-yahudiler/|title=Masonlar, Komünistler, Yahudiler|author=Ozan Ekin Gökşin|agency=Alvaremoz|accessdate=3 April 2018}}</ref>

When during a televised press conference he was asked if he believed a [[Social:Presidential system|presidential system]] was possible in a [[Earth:Unitary state|unitary state]]. Erdoğan affirmed this and cited [[Place:Nazi Germany|Nazi Germany]] as an example of how this is possible.<ref>[http://cdnjw.zaman.com.tr/previews/L4dfmWUI-rVrwPZZ2 Erdoğan: Presidential system with unitary state possible just like Hitler's Germany] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106051013/http://cdnjw.zaman.com.tr/previews/L4dfmWUI-rVrwPZZ2 |date=6 January 2016 }} Zaman, 1 January 2016</ref> However, the Turkish president's office said that Erdoğan was not advocating a Hitler-style government when he called for a state system with a strong executive. Furthermore, that the Turkish president had declared the Holocaust, anti-semitism and [[Religion:Islamophobia|Islamophobia]] as crimes against humanity and that it was out of the question for him to cite Hitler's Germany as a good example.<ref>{{cite web|author=Agency |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkey-president-erdogans-office-denies-advocating-hitler-style-rule-a6793446.html |title=Turkey: President Erdogan's office denies advocating Hitler-style rule |publisher=The Independent |date=1 January 2016 |accessdate=16 April 2017}}</ref>

In 2014, in response to the Soma mining disaster which killed 300 people, pro-Erdogan Islamist media accused the "Jewish media" and Israel for culpability,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/turkey-paper-blames-mine-disaster-on-jews-1.5249123|title=Pro-Erdogan Paper Blames Mine Disaster on the Jews|agency=[[Social:Haaretz|Haaretz]]|date=21 May 2014|accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref> and Erdogan himself was filmed saying "why are you running away, spawn of Israel",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/erdogan-uses-anti-israel-slur-1.5248562|title=WATCH: Erdogan shouts anti-Israel slur at protestor|agency=[[Social:Haaretz|Haaretz]]|date=16 May 2014|accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref> in what was considered a "clear anti-Semitic slur" by Kemal Silay and Gunther Jikeli.<ref name=SilayJikeli>{{cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-erdogan-s-anti-semitic-obsessions-1.5249189|title='Spawn of Israel': Erdogan's Anti-Semitic Obsessions|agency=[[Social:Haaretz|Haaretz]]|date=22 May 2014|accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref>

===Suppression of dissent===
[[File:Ntv-Van Media for sales.png|thumb|An NTV news van covered in anti-AKP protest graffiti in response to their lack of coverage of the Gezi Park protests in 2013]]

Erdoğan has been criticised for his politicisation of the media, especially after the 2013 protests. The opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) alleged that over 1,863 journalists lost their jobs due to their anti-government views in 12 years of AKP rule.<ref name="hurriyetdailynews.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/1863-turkish-journalists-fired-during-akp-rule-opposition-report-says.aspx?pageID=238&nID=73547&NewsCatID=339|title=1,863 Turkish journalists fired during AKP rule, opposition report says|work=Hürriyet Daily News|date=27 October 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Opposition politicians have also alleged that intimidation in the media is due to the government's attempt to restructure the ownership of private media corporations. Journalists from the Cihan News Agency and the Gülenist Zaman newspaper were repeatedly barred from attending government press conferences or asking questions.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yavuz-baydar/barring-coverage-assaults_b_6135640.html|title=Barring Coverage, Assaults and Fear: New Reports Signal SOS for Turkish Media|last=Baydar|first=Yavuz|work=Huffington Post|date=10 November 2014|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Several opposition journalists such as Soner Yalçın were controversially arrested as part of the Ergenekon trials and Sledgehammer coup investigation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://bianet.org/english/media/143140-soner-yalcin-imprisoned-journalist-released|title=Soner Yalçın, Imprisoned Journalist, Released|work=bianet|date=27 December 2012|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Veli Ağbaba, a CHP politician, has called the AKP the 'biggest media boss in Turkey.'<ref name="hurriyetdailynews.com"/>

In 2015, 74 US senators sent a letter to US Secretary of State, John Kerry, to state their concern over what they saw as deviations from the basic principles of democracy in Turkey and oppressions of Erdoğan over media.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/print/2015/03/19/U-S-Senators-urge-Kerry-to-speak-against-Turkey-media-crackdown-.html|title=U.S. Senators urge Kerry to speak against Turkey media crackdown |work=Al Arabiya|date=19 March 2015|accessdate=19 March 2015}}</ref>

Notable cases of media censorship occurred during the 2013 anti-government protests, when the mainstream media did not broadcast any news regarding the demonstrations for three days after they began. The lack of media coverage was symbolised by CNN International covering the protests while CNN Türk broadcast a documentary about penguins at the same time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/09/turkey-mainstream-media-penguins-protests|title=Why Turkey's mainstream media chose to show penguins rather than protests|work=The Guardian|first=Kerem|last=Oktem|date=10 June 2013|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) controversially issued a fine to pro-opposition news channels including Halk TV and Ulusal Kanal for their coverage of the protests, accusing them of broadcasting footage that could be morally, physically and mentally destabilising to children.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/23486445.asp|title=RTÜK'ten Halk TV ve Ulusal Kanal'a ceza|language=Turkish|trans-title=Penalties for public TV and national channel RTUK|date=12 June 2013|last=Özgenç|first=Meltem|work=Hürriyet|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Erdoğan was criticised for not responding to the accusations of media intimidation, and caused international outrage after telling a female journalist (Amberin Zaman of ''[[Finance:The Economist|The Economist]]'') to know her place and calling her a 'shameless militant' during his 2014 presidential election campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/know-your-place-you-shameless-militant-turkish-prime-minister-tells-female-journalist-9656896.html|title=Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan tells female journalist: 'Know your place, you shameless militant'|date=8 August 2014|last=Dearden|first=Lizzie|work=The Independent|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> While the 2014 presidential election was not subject to substantial electoral fraud, Erdoğan was again criticised for receiving disproportionate media attention in comparison to his rivals. The British newspaper ''The Times'' commented that between 2 and 4 July, the state-owned media channel TRT gave 204 minutes of coverage to Erdoğan's campaign and less than a total of 3 minutes to both his rivals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2014/07/140731_erdogan_trt_times.shtml |title=Times: TRT'den Erdoğan'a 204, rakiplerine 3 dakika |publisher=''BBC'' Turkey|date=31 July 2014|language=Turkish|trans-title=TIMES: TRT gave Erdogan 204, 3 to his opponent|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Yüksekdağ and Demirtaş.jpg|thumb|Opposition politicians Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yüksekdağ had been arrested on terrorism charges]]

Erdoğan also tightened controls over the internet, signing into law a bill which allows the government to block websites without prior court order on 12 September 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/12/us-turkey-internet-idUSKBN0H70N920140912|title=Erdogan approves law tightening Turkey's Internet controls|date=12 September 2014|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> His government blocked Twitter and YouTube in late March 2014 following the release of a recording of a conversation between him and his son Bilal, where Erdoğan allegedly warned his family to 'nullify' all cash reserves at their home amid the 2013 corruption scandal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/27/google-youtube-ban-turkey-erdogan|title=Erdogan approves law tightening Turkey's Internet controls|work=The Guardian|date=28 March 2014|first1=Constanze|last1=Letsch|first2=Dominic|last2=Rushe|accessdate=5 December 2014}}</ref> Erdoğan has undertaken a media campaign that attempts to portray the presidential family as frugal and simple-living; their palace electricity-bill is estimated at $500,000 per month.<ref name="AlMon lavish">{{cite web | last = Tremblay | first = Pinar | date = 2 April 2015 | title = The Erdogans' lavish lifestyle | url = http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/04/erdogan-familys-attempt-to-appear-modest-backfire.html | website = Al-Monitor | accessdate = 4 April 2015 | deadurl = yes | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150404233617/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/04/erdogan-familys-attempt-to-appear-modest-backfire.html | archivedate = 4 April 2015 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

Despite extensive censorship, Erdoğan has become the world's most insulted president, according to Burak Bekdil writing in the ''Gatestone Institute''.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bekdil|first1=Burak|title=Erdogan: The World's Most Insulted President|journal=Gatestone Institute|date=20 April 2016|url=http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7883/erdogan-insulted-president|accessdate=2 May 2016|language=English}}</ref> Insults have been punished with prison sentences; for example, in May 2016, former Miss Turkey model Merve Büyüksaraç was sentenced to more than a year in prison for allegedly insulting the president.<ref name="twsBBC1">{{cite web | date= 31 May 2016| publisher= BBC| url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36419723| title= Ex-Miss Turkey sentenced for insulting Erdogan| accessdate= 31 May 2016| quote=...Merve Buyuksarac, 27, was found guilty of insulting a public official for postings she made on social media. She denied insulting Mr Erdogan....}}</ref><ref name="twsFrance24">{{cite web| date= 31 May 2016| publisher= France 24| url= http://www.france24.com/en/20160531-ex-miss-turkey-sentenced-insulting-erdogan| title= Ex-Miss Turkey sentenced 'for insulting Erdogan'| accessdate= 31 May 2016| quote= ...The Istanbul court sentenced model Merve Buyuksarac, 27, to one year and two months in prison ...| deadurl= yes| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160601125158/http://www.france24.com/en/20160531-ex-miss-turkey-sentenced-insulting-erdogan| archivedate= 1 June 2016| df= dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="twsGuardian1">{{cite web | author= Agence France-Presse in Ankara| date= 16 June 2015| publisher= The Guardian| url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/17/turkish-newspaper-editor-sentenced-for-insulting-president-recep-erdogan| title= Turkish newspaper editor sentenced for insulting president Recep Erdoğan: Ankara court hands down 21-month suspended jail sentence to editor of English-language newspaper after convicting him of insulting the president in a tweet| accessdate= 31 May 2016| quote=...In another case that has garnered huge attention, model and former Miss Turkey beauty queen Merve Buyuksarac went on trial in May on charges of insulting Erdoğan....}}</ref> In a 2016 news story, ''Bloomberg'' reported, "more than 2,000 cases have been opened against journalists, cartoonists, teachers, a former Miss Turkey, and even schoolchildren in the past two years."<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-07-21/can-turkey-s-republic-survive-erdogan-s-purge Can Turkey's Republic Survive Erdogan's Purge?]. ''{{wipe|Bloomberg News}}''. 21 July 2016.</ref>

In November 2016, the Turkish government<ref name="japantimes.co.jp"/> blocked access to social media in all of Turkey<ref name = BanReimposed1>{{cite news |title=Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp blocked in Turkey after arrest of opposition leaders|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/facebook-twitter-whatsapp-turkey-erdogan-blocked-opposition-leaders-arrested-a7396831.html|work=The Independent|date=4 November 2016}}</ref> as well as sought to completely block internet access for the citizens in the Southeast of the country.<ref name = BanReimposed2>{{cite news|title=CHP deputy Tanrıkulu slams internet cuts in eastern, southeastern Turkey|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/chp-deputy-tanrikulu-slams-internet-cuts-in-eastern-southeastern-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=105490&NewsCatID=338|newspaper=Hürriyet Daily News|date=28 October 2016}}</ref>

===Mehmet Aksoy lawsuit===
In 2009, Turkish sculptor Mehmet Aksoy created the ''Statue of Humanity'' in Kars to promote reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia. When visiting the city in 2011, Erdoğan deemed the statue a "freak", and months later it was demolished.<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkey-Armenia friendship symbol being demolished|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13199787|accessdate=5 March 2015|work=BBC News|date=26 April 2011}}</ref> Aksoy sued Erdoğan for "moral indemnities", although his lawyer said that his statement was a critique rather than an insult. In March 2015, a judge ordered Erdoğan to pay Aksoy 10,000 lira.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Erdem|first1=Umut|title=Artist 'to party with' Erdoğan's money|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/artist-to-party-with-erdogans-money.aspx?pageID=238&nID=79207&NewsCatID=341|accessdate=5 March 2015|work=Hürriyet|date=5 March 2015}}</ref>

===Honours and accolades===

==== Foreign Honours ====
[[File:Secretary Kerry Delivers Remarks in Honor of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan (2).jpg|thumb|250px|U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, delivers remarks in honor of Erdoğan, 16 May 2013]]
[[File:Thaci-Erdogan2.jpg|thumb|250px|Erdoğan joined by his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaçi, 3 November 2010]]
* '''Russia''': State medal; from the President of the Russian Federation (1 June 2006).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/4513893.asp?gid=48|title=Putin'den Tatar madalyası|date=1 June 2006|accessdate=1 June 2006|work=Hürriyet|first=Turan|last=Yilmaz|language=Turkish|trans-title=Putin's Tatar medal}}</ref>
* '''Pakistan''': Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian award in Pakistan (26 October 2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88433&Itemid=1 |title=Pakistan, Turkey can together bring peace to region: Erdogan |work=Associated Press of Pakistan |date=26 October 2009 |accessdate=26 October 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304115422/http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88433&Itemid=1 |archivedate= 4 March 2012 |df= }}</ref>
* '''Georgia''': Order of Golden Fleece (17 May 2010) for his contribution to development of bilateral relations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=22307|title=Saakashvili hails Georgia-Turkish ties as exemplary|work=Civil.ge|date=17 May 2010|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref>
* '''Kyrgyzstan''':  Danaker Order in [[Place:Bishkek|Bishkek]] (2 February 2011).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=69287|title=Kyrgyzstan decorates Turkish PM with Danaker Order|work=World Bulletin|date=2 February 2011|accessdate=2 February 2011}}</ref>
* '''Belgium''': Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold.
* '''Madagascar''': Knight Grand Cross in the national Order (2017).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tccb.gov.tr/en/news/542/70833/president-erdogan-decorated-with-national-order-of-madagascar.html|title=Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey : President Erdoğan Decorated with National Order of Madagascar|first=|last=cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr|website=www.tccb.gov.tr}}</ref>

==== Other awards ====
* 29 January 2004: Profile of Courage Award from the American Jewish Congress, for promoting peace between cultures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrmea.org/2004-april/erdogan-s-third-u.s.-visit-comes-closest-to-being-a-charm.html|title=Erdogan's Third U.S. Visit Comes Closest To Being a Charm|work=Washington Report on Middle East Affairs|date=9 April 2004|accessdate=6 December 2014|first=Jon|last=Gorvett}}</ref> ''Returned at the request of the A.J.C. in July 2014.''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28544391|title=Turkey PM Erdogan returns US Jewish award in Israel row|work=BBC News|date=29 July 2014|accessdate=30 July 2014}}</ref>
* 13 June 2004: Golden Plate award from the Academy of Achievement during the conference in Chicago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/pagegen/newsletter/2004/|title=2004 International Summit Highlights|work=Academy of Achievement|date=13 June 2004|accessdate=6 December 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205083324/http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/pagegen/newsletter/2004/|archivedate=5 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 3 October 2004: German Quadriga prize for improving relationships between different cultures.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3712262.stm|title=Schroeder hails Turkish reforms|work=BBC News|date=3 October 2004|accessdate=6 December 2014 }}</ref>
* 2 September 2005: Mediterranean Award for Institutions ({{lang-it|Premio Mediterraneo Istituzioni}}). This was awarded by the Fondazione Mediterraneo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euromedi.org/attivita/dettaglioattivita.asp?idevento=989&lingua=eng|title=The Mediterranean Award for Institutions 2005 to Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan|work=euromedi.com|date=2 September 2005|accessdate=2 September 2005}}</ref>
* 8 August 2006: Caspian Energy Integration Award from the Caspian Integration Business Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.referansgazetesi.com/haber.aspx?HBR_KOD=46966&ForArsiv=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127175500/http://www.referansgazetesi.com/haber.aspx?HBR_KOD=46966&ForArsiv=1|dead-url=yes|archive-date=27 November 2013|title=Erdogan to receive Caspian award for 'Reformer of the Year'|date=5 August 2006|accessdate=5 August 2006|work=Refereans}}</ref>
* 1 November 2006: Outstanding Service award from the Turkish humanitarian organization Red Crescent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/politika_kizilaydan-erdogana-ustun-insani-hizmet-nisani_446971.html|title=Kızılay'dan Erdoğan'a 'Üstün İnsani Hizmet Nişanı'|date=2 November 2006|accessdate=6 December 2014|work=Zaman|language=Turkish|trans-title=Erdogan awarded Crescent's outstanding humanitarian service medal|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208161146/http://www.zaman.com.tr/politika_kizilaydan-erdogana-ustun-insani-hizmet-nisani_446971.html|archivedate=8 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 2 February 2007: Dialogue Between Cultures Award from the President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haber7.com/haber/20070202/Tatarlardan-Erdogana-odul.php?id=216554|title=Tatarlar'dan Erdoğan'a ödül|language=Turkish|date=15 April 2007|accessdate=15 April 2007|trans-title=Erdogan award from the Tartars|publisher=''Haber''}}</ref>
* 15 April 2007: Crystal Hermes Award from the German Chancellor [[Biography:Angela Merkel|Angela Merkel]] at the opening of the Hannover Industrial Fair.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://foto.aa.com.tr/popUp.do?arcId=668877|title=Başbakan Erdoğan'a kristal hermes ödülü verildi|language=Turkish|date=15 April 2007|accessdate=15 April 2007|work=Anadolu Ajansi|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223023025/http://foto.aa.com.tr/popUp.do?arcId=668877|archivedate=23 December 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 11 July 2007: highest award of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the Agricola Medal, in recognition of his contribution to agricultural and social development in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000626/index.html|title=Turkish Prime Minister receives Agricola Medal|date=11 July 2007|accessdate=11 July 2007}}</ref>
* 11 May 2009: Avicenna award from the [[Biography:Avicenna|Avicenna]] Foundation in Frankfurt, Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnnturk.com/2009/dunya/05/11/almanyadan.erdogana.ibni.sina.odulu/526044.0/index.html|title=Almanya'dan Erdoğan'a İbn-i Sina ödülü|language=Turkish|work=CNN Türk|date=11 May 2009|accessdate=11 May 2009}}</ref>
* 9 June 2009: guest of honor at the 20th Crans Montana Forum in Brussels and received the Prix de la Fondation, for democracy and freedom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/11824866.asp?gid=233|title=Democracy award from the Crans Montana Forum|work=Hürriyet|date=9 June 2009|accessdate=9 June 2009}}</ref>
* 25 June 2009: Key to the City of [[Place:Tirana|Tirana]] on the occasion of his state visit to Albania.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tirana.gov.al/?cid=1,62,2884|title=Kryebashkiaku Rama i dhuron "Çelësin e Qytetit", Kryeministrit turk Erdogan|language=Albanian|work=Tirana.gov.al|date=25 June 2009|accessdate=25 June 2009}}</ref>
* 29 December 2009: Award for Contribution to World Peace from the Turgut Özal Thought and Move Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/wap.do?method=getSondakikaDetay&haberno=933739&sirano=0&sayfa=|title=Turgut Özal Ödülü aldı, onun gibi konuştu: Allah'ın verdiği ömrü O'ndan başka alacak yoktur|work=Zaman|date=29 December 2009|accessdate=29 December 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314014823/http://www.zaman.com.tr/wap.do?method=getSondakikaDetay&haberno=933739&sirano=0&sayfa=|archivedate=14 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 12 January 2010: King Faisal International Prize for "service to Islam" from the King Faisal Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kff.com/EN01/KFIP/1430H2010G/KFIPWinners1STI1430H2010G.html |archive-url=https://archive.is/20100115181653/http://www.kff.com/EN01/KFIP/1430H2010G/KFIPWinners1STI1430H2010G.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=15 January 2010 |title=King Faisal International Prize |date=12 January 2010 |accessdate=22 January 2010 }}</ref>
* 23 February 2010: Nodo Culture Award from the mayor of Seville for his efforts to launch the Alliance of Civilizations initiative.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=54518|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130222101301/http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=54518|dead-url=yes|archive-date=22 February 2013|title=Turkey's Erdogan awarded for peace efforts in Spain|date=23 February 2010|accessdate=23 February 2010}}</ref>
* 1 March 2010: United Nations–HABITAT award in memorial of Rafik Hariri. A seven-member international jury unanimously found Erdoğan deserving of the award because of his "excellent achievement and commendable conduct in the area of leadership, statesmanship and good governance. Erdoğan also initiated the first roundtable of mayors during the Istanbul conference, which led to a global, organized movement of mayors."<ref name="unhabitat3">{{cite web|url=http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=8016&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0|title=Turkish premier is winner of Rafik Hariri Memorial Award|date=1 March 2010|accessdate=1 March 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308235302/http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=8016&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0|archivedate=8 March 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 27 May 2010: medal of honor from the Brazilian Federation of Industry for the State of São Paulo (FIESP) for his contributions to industry<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=59101 |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120917230730/http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=59101 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=17 September 2012 |title=Turkey's PM hails "new era" in Brazil ties on first visit |work=worldbulletin.net |date=27 May 2010 |accessdate=27 May 2010 }}</ref>
* 31 May 2010: [[Organization:World Health Organization|World Health Organization]] 2010 World No Tobacco Award for "his dedicated leadership on tobacco control in Turkey."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2010/awards/en|title=World No Tobacco Day 2010 Awards – the winners|work=World Health Organization|date=31 May 2010|accessdate=31 May 2010}}</ref>
* 29 June 2010: 2010 World Family Award from the World Family Organization which operates under the umbrella of the United Nations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldfamilyorganization.org/archive/news/2010/10-07-06-ECOSOC_Full.html|title=ECOSOC High-Level Segment 2010|work=World Family Organization|date=29 June 2010|accessdate=29 June 2010}}</ref>
* 4 November 2010: Golden Medal of Independence, an award conferred upon Kosovo citizens and foreigners that have contributed to the independence of Kosovo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.president-ksgov.net/?page=2,6,1429|title=The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo Dr. Jakup Krasniqi receives the Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayip Erdogan|work=President of the Republic of Kosovo|date=4 November 2010|accessdate=4 November 2010}}</ref>
* 25 November 2010: "Leader of the Year" award presented by the Union of Arab Banks in [[Place:Lebanon|Lebanon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=66697|title=Turkish PM presented "Leader of the Year" award in Lebanon|work=World Bulletin|date=25 November 2010|accessdate=25 November 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126081028/http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=66697|archivedate=26 November 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 11 January 2011: "Outstanding Personality in the Islamic World Award" of the Sheikh Fahad al-Ahmad International Award for Charity in Kuwait.<ref name="google.com">{{cite news|last=Agence France-Presse|title=Turkish PM to receive Libyan rights award|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g5aVx0GAIpKInngJGjy6ZsndVG-Q?docId=CNG.25177ec61aed2bd3050d3e2b8bda84d2.6d1|publisher=Agence France-Presse|date=26 November 2010|accessdate=27 November 2010}}</ref>
* 25 October 2011: Palestinian International Award for Excellence and Creativity (PIA) 2011 for his support to the Palestinian people and cause.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-260972-prime-minister-erdogan-receives-palestinian-excellence-award.html|title=Prime Minister Erdoğan receives Palestinian excellence award|work=Today's Zaman|date=25 October 2011|accessdate=25 October 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025215042/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-260972-prime-minister-erdogan-receives-palestinian-excellence-award.html|archivedate=25 October 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 21 January 2012: 'Gold Statue 2012 Special Award' by the Polish Business Center Club (BCC). Erdoğan was awarded for his systematic effort to clear barriers on the way to economic growth, striving to build democracy and free market relations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/83932,Turkish-PM-receives-Polish-business-award|title=Turkish PM receives Polish business award|work=Polskie Radio|date=23 January 2012|accessdate=25 January 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
(in German)
* Çiğdem Akyol: ''Generation Erdoğan. Die Türkei – ein zerrissenes Land im 21. Jahrhundert.'' Kremayr & Scheriau, Wien 2015, {{ISBN|978-3-218-00969-0}}
* Çiğdem Akyol: ''Erdoğan. Die Biografie''. Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 2016, {{ISBN|978-3-451-32886-2}}.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Erdogan, Recep Tayyip}}
[[Category:Authoritarianism]]

{{Sourceattribution|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|1}}