Reuters Report: Erdogan is “The Strongest Man in Turkey”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is regarded as the “the strongest man in Turkey” by Reuters in a recent report. This is a title that has stemmed from a variety of sources including rapid economic growth, massive job creation, and a pool of voters that essentially “[lets] him shape what kind of democracy” Turkey becomes.

His Justice and Development Party (AKP) won their third election with over 50% of the vote in June, signaling that the party’s policies play well to the general public. ”Erdogan realizes he will be in power as long as the country prospers…when the economy is on track he handles other challenges from the military, judiciary or from the bureaucracy more easily,” Umit Ozlale said.

However, some are disenchanted by the party’s underlying fundamentals; the recent resignations of top Turkish military officials alongside the ‘wobbling economic boom’ indicate a faltering party incapable of handling too much at once. One analyst expressed concerned stating, ”The fear amongst many of the (AKP’s) critics in Turkey is that the party is now overly dominant with fewer checks and balances given its controls all the main levers of the state.” Erdogan was able to exert even more political dominance when he hand-picked new officials to head the four empty military posts.

Many Turkish civilians regard Erdogan as a ‘leader in the Islamic world’, and it seems that as long as he can sustain economic and job growth, he will continue to prosper in the political sphere, even if it means a little less adherence to Ataturk’s secular democracy. Right now, the report suggests, the biggest issue facing the Turkish prime minister is an economic crisis.