Career Timeline of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Recep Tayyip Erdoğan built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician serving as President since 2014. He co-founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2001 and served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2014. He also served as mayor of Istanbul (1994-1998). His tenure has been marked by socially conservative policies and increasing authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, and suppression of dissent.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1961: Turkey signed 19 IMF loan accords.

Since 1961, Turkey has signed 19 IMF loan accords.

1976: Joined National Turkish Student Union

In 1976, Erdoğan engaged in politics by joining the National Turkish Student Union and became head of the Beyoğlu youth branch of the Islamist National Salvation Party (MSP).

1983: Joined Welfare Party (RP)

In 1983, Erdoğan followed Necmettin Erbakan's followers into the newly founded Welfare Party (RP).

1984: Appointed Beyoğlu District Chair

In 1984, Erdoğan became the Welfare Party's Beyoğlu district chair.

1984: Elected Welfare Party's Beyoğlu district chair

In 1984, Erdoğan was elected as the Welfare Party's Beyoğlu district chair.

1985: Appointed Head of Istanbul Branch

In 1985, Erdoğan became head of the Welfare Party's Istanbul branch.

1985: Elected Welfare Party's Istanbul chair

In 1985, Erdoğan was elected as the Welfare Party's Istanbul chair.

1991: Anti-Terror Law Powers Reduced

During Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister, the far-reaching powers of the 1991 Anti-Terror Law were reduced.

1994: Elected Mayor of Istanbul

In 1994, Erdoğan was elected mayor of Istanbul.

1998: End of term as mayor of Istanbul

In 1998, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's term as mayor of Istanbul ended.

1999: Released from prison and formed AKP

In 1999, Erdoğan was released from prison and formed the AKP.

1999: Turkey Applied for EU Membership

In 1999, Turkey had applied for EU membership.

2001: Co-founded Justice and Development Party (AKP)

In 2001, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan co-founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

2002: Inheriting the Turkish Economy

In 2002, Erdoğan inherited a Turkish economy that was beginning to recover from a recession as a result of reforms implemented by Kemal Derviş. Erdoğan supported Finance Minister Ali Babacan in enforcing macro-economic policies.

2002: AKP Victory in the Election

In 2002, Erdoğan led the AKP to a landslide victory in the election for the Grand National Assembly.

2002: Increase in Bilateral Trade Between Turkey and China

In 2002, bilateral trade between Turkey and China was $1 billion per year.

2002: AKP won 34% of the vote in the general elections

In 2002, the AKP won 34% of the vote in the general elections.

2002: Turkish Central Bank Reserves

In 2002, the Turkish Central Bank had $26.5 billion in reserves.

February 2003: Elected as Prime Minister

In February 2003, Erdoğan was able to run for parliament due to a legal change and won the rescheduled election in Siirt, becoming Prime Minister.

March 2003: Became Prime Minister

In March 2003, Erdoğan became prime minister after the Gül government ended his political ban.

2003: Became Prime Minister

In 2003, Erdoğan became prime minister after winning a by-election in Siirt.

2003: Labor Act Reform

In 2003, Erdoğan's government implemented the Labor Act, a comprehensive reform of Turkey's labor laws that significantly expanded employee rights. The reform established a 45-hour workweek, limited overtime, provided legal protection against discrimination based on 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.

2003: Health Transformation Program (HTP) Launched

In 2003, Erdoğan's government initiated the Health Transformation Program (HTP), aiming to enhance healthcare quality and provide financial protection to all citizens.

2003: Appointed 25th Prime Minister of Turkey

In 2003, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became the 25th prime minister of Turkey.

2003: "Come on girls, [let's go] to school!" Campaign

In 2003, the Turkish government, in collaboration with UNICEF, launched the "Come on girls, [let's go] to school!" campaign to address the gender gap in primary school enrollment, with a focus on providing quality basic education for girls, especially in southeast Turkey.

2003: Amnesty Granted to Expelled Students

In 2003, the parliament granted amnesty to students expelled from universities before 2003. The amnesty applied to students dismissed on academic or disciplinary grounds.

May 2004: Visit to Greece

In May 2004, Erdoğan became the first Turkish Prime Minister to visit Greece since 1988, and the first to visit the Turkish minority of Thrace since 1952, marking a normalization of relations between Greece and Turkey.

December 2004: President Putin's Visit to Turkey

In December 2004, President Putin visited Turkey, marking the first presidential visit in the history of Turkish-Russian relations since Nikolai Podgorny's visit in 1972.

2004: Inflation Falls to 9.0%

During Erdoğan's leadership, inflation fell from 32% to 9.0% in 2004.

2004: Improved relations with Syria

In 2004, President Bashar al-Assad made the first official visit to Turkey by a Syrian President in 57 years. In late 2004, Erdoğan signed a free trade agreement with Syria, marking a period of improved relations.

2004: Expansion of the "Green Card" Program

In 2004, as part of the Health Transformation Program, the "Green Card" program, which offers health benefits to the poor, was expanded.

2004: Construction of Marmaray Started

In 2004, construction began on Marmaray, an undersea rail tunnel beneath the Bosphorus strait.

2004: Death Penalty Abolished

In 2004, the death penalty was abolished for all circumstances during Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister.

May 2005: Erdoğan's Visit to Israel

On May 1, 2005, Erdoğan visited Israel and Yad Vashem, which was an unusual gesture for a leader of a Muslim majority country.

October 2005: Negotiations Began for Turkey's Accession to the European Union

On October 3, 2005, negotiations for Turkey's accession to the European Union formally commenced during Erdoğan's tenure as Prime Minister.

August 2006: Visit by Saudi monarch

In August 2006, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz as-Saud made a visit to Turkey, marking the first visit by a Saudi monarch to Turkey in the last four decades.

July 2007: AKP Victory in General Election

On 22 July 2007, the AKP won an important victory over the opposition, garnering 46.7% of the popular vote.

November 2007: Second visit by Saudi monarch

On November 9, 2007, the Saudi monarch, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz as-Saud, made a second visit to Turkey.

2007: AKP Election Victory

In 2007, Erdoğan led the AKP to another election victory.

2007: Constitutional Reform Package Proposed

In 2007, after the opposition parties deadlocked the presidential election, the ruling AKP proposed a constitutional reform package which included electing the president by popular vote, reducing the presidential term, allowing re-election, holding general elections every four years, and reducing the quorum of lawmakers needed for parliamentary decisions. The reform package was supported by 68.95% of the voters.

2007: Failed Constitution Reform due to lack of support

In 2007, despite being one of the main pledges of the AKP during the 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. The amendments lacked the two-thirds majority needed to become law instantly, but secured enough votes to put the proposals to a referendum.

2008: Law Approved to Return Confiscated Properties to Non-Muslim Foundations

In 2008, the Turkish government approved a law to return properties confiscated in the past by the state to non-Muslim foundations during Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister.

2009: Government Plan to End Turkey-Kurdistan Conflict Announced

In 2009, Prime Minister Erdoğan's government announced a plan to help end the Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, which intended to allow the Kurdish language to be used in broadcast media and political campaigns and restore Kurdish names to cities and towns. Erdoğan passed a partial amnesty to reduce penalties faced by PKK members who had surrendered.

2009: Increased Turk-Saudi trade volume

In 2009, Turk-Saudi trade volume reached US$ 5.5 billion.

2009: Statue of Humanity Created

In 2009, Turkish sculptor Mehmet Aksoy created the Statue of Humanity in Kars to promote reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.

2009: Lifting of visa restrictions with Syria

In 2009, visa restrictions between Turkey and Syria were lifted, leading to an economic boom in the regions near the Syrian border.

2009: Decline in Turkish Public Debt

The Turkish public debt as a percentage of annual GDP declined from 74% in 2002 to 39% in 2009.

May 2010: Military agreement with Somalia

In May 2010, the Turkish and Somali governments signed a military training agreement. Turkish Airlines also became the first long-distance international commercial airline in two decades to resume flights to and from Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport.

2010: Record Low for Turkey's Sovereign Debt

In 2010, five-year credit default swaps for Turkey's sovereign debt were trading at a record low of 1.17%, below those of nine EU member countries and Russia.

2010: Trade volume target

The goal for the year 2010 was US$ 10 billion in Turk-Saudi trade volume.

June 2011: AKP wins 2011 elections

In June 2011, Erdoğan's governing party, AKP, won 327 seats with 49.83% of the popular vote, marking his third consecutive general election victory. This made Erdoğan the only prime minister in Turkey's history to win three consecutive general elections. The Republican People's Party (CHP) secured 135 seats, the nationalist MHP obtained 53 seats, and Independents received 35 seats in June 2011.

August 2011: Davutoğlu's Last Meeting with Assad

On 9 August 2011, Ahmet Davutoğlu met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for seven hours, attempting to convince him to implement reforms amid the growing conflict and protests. This meeting marked the last visit by a European leader to Assad.

September 2011: Official visit to Egypt

On September 12, 2011, Erdoğan made his first official visit to Egypt, accompanied by six ministers and 200 businessmen, shortly after Turkey had cut off diplomatic relations with Israel.

November 2011: Erdoğan Apologizes for Dersim Massacre

On November 23, 2011, during a televised meeting, Erdoğan apologized on behalf of the state for the Dersim massacre, where many Alevis and Zazas were killed.

2011: Support for Somalia during drought

During the drought of 2011, Erdoğan's government contributed over $201 million to humanitarian relief efforts in the impacted parts of Somalia. The Turkish government also re-opened its foreign embassy with the intention of more effectively assisting in the post-conflict development process.

2011: AKP Election Victory

In 2011, Erdoğan led the AKP to another election victory.

2011: Legal Reforms to Return Properties of Christian and Jewish Minorities

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. The total value of the properties returned reached $2 billion (USD).

2011: Increased Turkish Central Bank Reserves

In 2011, the Turkish Central Bank had $92.2 billion in reserves.

2011: Emergence of the term 'Erdoğanism'

Shortly after Erdoğan's 2011 general election victory, the term 'Erdoğanism' emerged. It was predominantly described as the AKP's liberal economic and conservative democratic ideals fused with Erdoğan's demagoguery and cult of personality.

2012: Cash-Flow into Turkish Economy

Between 2002 and 2012, the cash-flow into the Turkish economy caused a growth of 64% in real GDP and a 43% increase in GDP per capita. The ranking of the Turkish economy in terms of GDP moved slightly from 17 to 16 during this decade.

2012: Slight Recovery in Press Freedom

Freedom House reported a Press Freedom Score of 55/100 for Turkey in 2012.

2012: Turkey's Debt Reduced

In 2012, Turkey's debt to the IMF was reduced to $0.9 billion. Erdoğan decided not to sign a new deal and announced that the IMF could borrow from Turkey.

2012: Establishment of Human Rights and Equality Institutions

In 2012, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey and the Ombudsman Institution were established during Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister.

2012: Peace Negotiations with PKK

In late 2012, Erdoğan's government began peace negotiations with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

2013: Peace Process with PKK Initiated

In 2013, the government of Erdoğan began a peace process between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish Government, mediated by parliamentarians of the Peoples' Democratic party (HDP).

July 2014: Nomination as AKP's presidential candidate

On July 1, 2014, Erdoğan was named the AKP's presidential candidate in the Turkish presidential election.

August 2014: Inauguration as President of Turkey

On August 28, 2014, Erdoğan took the oath of office and became the 12th president of Turkey. On August 29, he administered the new Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's oath. He was criticized for openly stating that he would not maintain presidential neutrality.

2014: Elected as President

In 2014, Erdoğan became the country's first directly elected president.

2014: Elected President of Turkey

In 2014, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became the president of Turkey.

January 2015: Erdoğan denies wanting to become an Ottoman sultan

In January 2015, when pressed on the issue of wanting to become an Ottoman sultan, Erdoğan denied these claims and said that he would aim to be more like Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

2015: Endorsement of Ottoman term for university campuses

In 2015, Erdoğan endorsed the old Ottoman term külliye to refer to university campuses rather than the standard Turkish word kampüs.

2015: Jewish Community Allowed to Publicly Celebrate Hanukkah

In 2015, the Jewish community were allowed to celebrate Hanukkah publicly for the first time in modern Turkish history, during Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister.

March 2016: EU and Turkey Cooperation Deemed Existentially Important

On March 11, 2016, German minister of defence Ursula von der Leyen stated that the refugee crisis had made good cooperation between the EU and Turkey an "existentially important" issue and negotiations on Turkey's EU accession should be advanced.

November 2016: Cumhuriyet Journalists Detained

In November 2016, Cumhuriyet journalists were detained following a long-standing crackdown on the newspaper. Reporters Without Borders subsequently labeled Erdoğan an "enemy of press freedom."

2016: Aftermath of 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt

In the aftermath of the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, a groundswell of national unity and consensus emerged. Erdoğan used this consensus to remove Gulen's followers from the bureaucracy, curtail their role in NGOs, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the Turkish military. Relations with Europe soured, and Erdoğan developed relationships with Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

2016: EU Membership Talks Made Little Progress

Since 2016, talks for Turkey's EU membership made little progress.

January 2017: Erdoğan on Turkish Troops in Northern Cyprus

In January 2017, Erdoğan said that the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Northern Cyprus is "out of the question" and Turkey will be in Cyprus "forever".

April 2017: Constitutional referendum

In April 2017, voters in Turkey approved a set of 18 amendments to the Constitution of Turkey, including the replacement of the existing parliamentary system with a presidential system.

October 2017: Venezuelan President Maduro Visits Turkey

In October 2017, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro visited Turkey, marking the first official visit between the two countries at the presidential level.

2017: Constitutional changes

Following the approval of constitutional changes in a referendum held in 2017, the elected President will be both the head of state and head of government of Turkey, taking over the latter role from the to-be-abolished office of the Prime Minister.

2017: Increase in Bilateral Trade Between Turkey and China

In 2017, bilateral trade between Turkey and China increased to $27 billion annually.

2017: Centralization of AFAD under Erdoğan's control

In 2017, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) was centralized under Erdoğan's control due to a constitutional change. AFAD faced intense scrutiny for its slow and disorganized response to disasters.

February 2018: Support of Macedonia's Position Expressed

In February 2018, President Erdoğan expressed Turkish support of the Republic of Macedonia's position during negotiations over the Macedonia naming dispute, stating that Greece's position is wrong.

March 2018: Criticism of Kosovan Prime Minister

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.

April 2018: Candidacy declaration for People's Alliance

On April 27, 2018, Erdoğan declared his candidacy for the People's Alliance (Turkish: Cumhur İttifakı), with support from the MHP.

May 2018: Erdoğan's State Visit to the UK

In May 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed Erdoğan to the United Kingdom for a three-day state visit. During the visit, Erdoğan emphasized the strong alliance, strategic partnership, and friendship between Turkey and the United Kingdom.

December 2018: Erdoğan Visits Venezuela

In December 2018, Erdoğan visited Venezuela for the first time, expressing his desire to build strong relations between the two countries.

2018: Turkish presidential election

The 2018 Turkish presidential election took place as part of the 2018 general election, alongside parliamentary elections on the same day.

November 2019: Earthquake in Albania

In November 2019, an earthquake struck the Durrës region of Albania. President Erdoğan expressed his condolences and committed Turkey to reconstructing 500 earthquake destroyed homes in Laç, Albania.

2019: Erdoğan's Speeches on Housing Issues

In 2019, Erdoğan gave speeches in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay where he boasted about "solving" housing issues for thousands through "amnesties" that legalized substandard buildings for fines.

January 2020: Ban on Wikipedia Lifted

On January 15, 2020, the Turkish government lifted a two-and-a-half-year ban on Wikipedia, restoring access to the online encyclopedia after Turkey's top court ruled that blocking Wikipedia was unconstitutional.

July 2020: Reclassification of Hagia Sophia as a mosque

In July 2020, after the Council of State annulled the Cabinet's 1934 decision, Erdoğan ordered the reclassification of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

August 2020: Erdoğan's speech on conquest and justice

In August 2020, Erdoğan gave a speech asserting that conquest in their civilization is about establishing justice commanded by Allah and that Turkey will take what is its right in the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Black Sea.

August 2020: Transfer of Chora Church Administration

In August 2020, Erdoğan signed the order that transferred the administration of the Chora Church to the Directorate of Religious Affairs to open it for worship as a mosque.

September 2020: Support for Azerbaijan Declared

In September 2020, Erdoğan declared his government's support for Azerbaijan following a conflict with Armenian forces over Nagorno-Karabakh and dismissed demands for a ceasefire.

October 2020: Erdoğan's statement on Jerusalem

In October 2020, Erdoğan made a statement before the Grand National Assembly that "Jerusalem is ours", referring to the period of Ottoman rule over the city.

March 2022: Israeli President Herzog Visits Turkey

In March 2022, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Turkey and met with Erdoğan, marking a step towards normalizing relations between the two countries.

March 2022: Turkey Hosts Trilateral Meeting with Ukraine and Russia

On 10 March 2022, Turkey hosted a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, marking the first high-level talks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

May 2022: Opposition to Finland and Sweden Joining NATO

In May 2022, Erdoğan voiced his opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO, accusing them of tolerating groups Turkey classifies as terrorist organizations.

July 2022: Turkey Brokers Grain Export Deal Between Russia and Ukraine

On 22 July 2022, Turkey, along with the United Nations, brokered a deal between Russia and Ukraine to clear the way for the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, addressing the 2022 food crisis.

August 2022: Turkey and Israel Restore Diplomatic Relations

In August 2022, Turkey and Israel agreed to restore full diplomatic relations, signaling a significant improvement in their relationship.

September 2022: Prisoner Exchange Between Russia and Ukraine Mediated by Turkey

On 21 September 2022, a record-high of 215 Ukrainian soldiers were released in a prisoner exchange with Russia after mediation by Turkish President Erdoğan. The freed captives stay in Turkey until the war is over.

2022: Turkey as Energy Hub

In 2022, Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin planned for Turkey to become an energy hub for Europe through the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines.

2022: Turkey's Stance on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

In 2022, while Turkey closed the Bosphorus to Russian naval reinforcements, enforced United Nations sanctions, and supplied Ukraine with military equipment such as Bayraktar TB2 drones and BMC Kirpi vehicles, it continued dialogue with Vladimir Putin and maintained its stance that Russia must return Crimea to Ukraine.

March 2023: Erdogan Confirmed Support for Finnish NATO Membership

In March 2023, the President of Finland Sauli Niinistö visited Erdogan. During the visit, Erdogan confirmed that he supported Finnish NATO membership and declared that the Turkish parliament would confirm Finnish membership before the Turkish Presidential elections in May 2023.

April 2023: Finland's NATO Membership Ratified

On April 1, 2023, Erdoğan confirmed and signed the Turkish Grand National Assembly's ratification of Finnish NATO membership. This decision sealed Finland's entry to NATO.

May 2023: Victory in presidential election runoff

Erdoğan won the second round of the 2023 presidential election on 28 May 2023, receiving 52.18% of the vote, defeating Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

May 2023: Turkish Presidential Elections

In May 2023, the Turkish Presidential elections were held.

June 2023: Scheduled general elections

Early general elections are currently scheduled for June 2023.

June 2023: Opposition to Sweden Joining NATO Voiced Again

In June 2023, Erdoğan again voiced his opposition to Sweden joining NATO.

July 2023: Sweden's Accession to NATO Linked to Turkey's EU Membership

Just prior to the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023, Erdoğan linked Sweden's accession to NATO membership to Turkey's application for EU membership.

September 2023: EU-Turkey Relations

In September 2023, Erdoğan announced that the European Union was well into a rupture in its relations with Turkey and that they would part ways during Turkey's European Union membership process.

September 2023: Support for Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

In September 2023, as Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive to recapture the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh, Erdoğan stated at the United Nations General Assembly that Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory and supported Azerbaijan's steps to defend its territorial integrity.

October 2023: Erdoğan Cancels Attendance at EPC Meeting

In October 2023, Erdoğan canceled his attendance at the third European Political Community (EPC) meeting.

October 2023: Inauguration of the first government-backed church

In October 2023, the first church built with government backing in Turkey's 100-year history as a post-Ottoman state was inaugurated.

October 2023: Sweden's NATO Membership Bid Approved

On 23 October 2023, Erdoğan approved Sweden's pending NATO membership bid and sent the accession protocol to the Turkish Parliament for ratification.

November 2023: Parliament Defers Decision on Sweden's NATO Membership

On November 16, 2023, Turkey's parliamentary committee discussed the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership, but a decision was deferred, with a request for Sweden to produce a written roadmap to implement its anti-terrorism commitments.

December 2023: Parliament Confirms Swedish NATO Membership Application

On 26 December 2023, the Turkish parliament's foreign relations committee confirmed the Swedish NATO membership application and sent the process to the Turkish Parliament's plenary session.

January 2024: Erdogan Formally Approved Swedish NATO Membership

On 25 January 2024, Erdoğan formally signed and approved the Turkish parliament's decision to ratify Swedish NATO membership.

February 2025: Turkey Offers to Host Talks Between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA

On 18 February 2025, Erdoğan proposed Turkey as the "ideal host for possible talks between Russia, Ukraine and the USA," highlighting Turkey's reputation as a "reliable mediator" for both nations.