Tag Archives: European Union

The Guardian: Erdoğan’s reaction to Turkey protests reveals ominous Putin parallels – Luke Harding

Leader is used to having things his own way but, civil society movement can no longer be suppressed, says Luke Harding The assault was as brutal as it was predictable. On Friday and Saturday Erdoğan had hosted a European Union meeting in Istanbul. Rumour had it that Turkey‘s prime minister would send in riot police to clear the demonstrators from Taksim Square [...] → Read the full article…

Reuters: Turkey rules out early polls, thousands defy call to end protest- Nick Tattersall and Ece Toksabay

(Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party on Saturday ruled out early elections as thousands of anti-government demonstrators defied his call for an immediate end to protests. Huseyin Celik, deputy chairman of the Justice and Development (AK) Party founded by Erdogan just over a decade ago, said local and presidential elections would be held next year as planned, [...] → Read the full article…

The Economist: The new young Turks

Protests against Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his ham-fisted response, have shaken his rule and his country IT BEGAN with a grove of sycamores. For months environmentalists had been protesting against a government-backed plan to chop the trees down to make room for a shopping and residential complex in Istanbul’s Taksim Square. They organised a peaceful sit-in with tents, singing and [...] → Read the full article…