Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: From Prime Minister to President
A Look at the Career of Turkey's Current Leader
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was born on February 26, 1954, in Istanbul, Turkey. He is a Turkish politician who has served as the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014.
Erdoğan is a controversial figure, with supporters and detractors alike. His supporters praise him for his economic reforms and his strong leadership, while his detractors criticize him for his authoritarian tendencies and his crackdown on dissent.
Erdoğan's political career began in the 1970s, when he joined the Islamist National Salvation Party. He was elected mayor of Istanbul in 1994, but was banned from politics in 1998 for inciting religious hatred. In 2001, he founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which went on to win the 2002 general election.
As prime minister, Erdoğan oversaw a period of economic growth and stability in Turkey. He also implemented a number of reforms, including the introduction of a minimum wage and the expansion of healthcare access. However, he was also criticized for his authoritarian tendencies, including his crackdown on the media and his imprisonment of dissidents.
In 2014, Erdoğan was elected president of Turkey. He has continued to implement his authoritarian policies, including the introduction of a state of emergency and the arrest of thousands of government critics. He has also been accused of corruption and nepotism.
Erdoğan's presidency has been marked by controversy and division. He remains a popular figure among his supporters, but he is also widely criticized for his authoritarianism and his crackdown on dissent.
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