Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s insistence on demolishing Gezi Park and building a shopping mall on it was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the causes behind the demonstrations that have shaken Turkey. The real reason is composed of three elements: rising authoritarianism, declining secularism, and stalled democratization. On 28 December 2011 at 9:37 pm, [...] → Read the full article…
ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed protesters Sunday, the tenth day of demonstrations against his government, warning that “even patience has an end.” He gave a series of speeches to supporters in the nation’s capital, Ankara, as well as in the southern city of Adana. “We have been patient. We will be patient, but even [...] → Read the full article…
President Abdullah Gül has approved the controversial bill restricting the sale and advertising of alcohol, Anatolia news agency reported June 10. The 15 day limit allocated for the president’s decision was set to end as of June 11. “If I see constitutional problems [in the bill], I will do what’s necessary,” Gül had told the Confederation of Turkish Craftsmen and [...] → Read the full article…