Challenges in the Life of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a Detailed Timeline

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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

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.

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1980: Military Coup

In 1980, the military coup dissolved all major political parties, affecting Erdoğan's position.

1986: Failed to get elected

In 1986, Erdoğan entered the parliamentary by-elections of 1986 as a candidate in Istanbul's 6th electoral district, but failed to get elected.

1991: Welfare Party Increased Vote Share

In 1991, the Welfare Party more than doubled its share of the vote in Istanbul, but Erdoğan was not elected to parliament due to preferential votes.

December 1997: Incitement to violence and religious or racial hatred

In December 1997 in Siirt, Erdoğan recited a modified version of a poem and was regarded by the judge as an incitement to violence and religious or racial hatred.

1998: Convicted for inciting religious hatred

In 1998, Erdoğan was convicted for inciting religious hatred and banned from politics after reciting a poem by Ziya Gökalp.

March 1999: Imprisonment

In March 1999, Erdoğan began serving a four-month prison sentence and was forced to give up his mayoral position.

2001: Economic Crisis

In 2001, economic crisis was experienced.

December 2002: Siirt Election Canceled

In December 2002, the Supreme Election Board canceled the general election results from Siirt due to voting irregularities and scheduled a new election for 9 February 2003.

2003: Alleged Sledgehammer coup plans written

The original Sledgehammer document containing the coup plans, allegedly written in 2003, was found to have been written using Microsoft Word 2007.

2005: Erdoğan Proposes Joint Turkish-Armenian Commission

In 2005, Erdoğan and Deniz Baykal proposed the creation of a joint Turkish-Armenian commission to investigate the mass killings of Armenians during World War I, but the offer was rejected by Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.

2006: Low Point in Press Freedom

Freedom House reported a low point Press Freedom Score of 48/100 for Turkey in 2006.

April 2007: Protests Against Presidential Candidacy

On 14 April 2007, an estimated 300,000 people marched in Ankara to protest against the possible candidacy of Erdoğan in the 2007 presidential election. On 24 April 2007 that the party had nominated Abdullah Gül as the AKP candidate in the presidential election.

2007: Military E-memorandum warning the government

During the chaotic 2007 presidential election, the military issued an E-memorandum warning the government to keep within the boundaries of secularism when choosing a candidate.

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.

March 2008: Asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban Erdoğan's governing party

On 14 March 2008, Turkey's Chief Prosecutor asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban Erdoğan's governing party.

July 2008: Party Escaped Ban

On 30 July 2008, Erdoğan's party escaped a ban, although judges did cut the party's public funding by 50%.

December 2008: Erdoğan Criticizes I Apologize Campaign

In December 2008, Erdoğan criticized the I Apologize campaign by Turkish intellectuals to recognize the Armenian genocide, stating that Turkey did not commit a crime and does not need to apologize.

2008: Erdoğan on 2008-2009 Gaza War

In 2009, during the 2008–2009 Gaza War, Erdoğan said Israelis "know very well how to kill" and suggested that Israel controls the media.

2009: Erdoğan Accuses China of Genocide Against Uyghurs

In 2009, Erdoğan accused China of "genocide" against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

2009: Erdoğan on 2008-2009 Gaza War

In 2009, during the 2008–2009 Gaza War, Erdoğan said Israelis "know very well how to kill" and suggested that Israel controls the media.

May 2010: Condemnation of Gaza flotilla raid

In May 2010, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan strongly condemned the Gaza flotilla raid, describing it as "state terrorism" and demanded an Israeli apology.

2010: Severing of diplomatic ties with Israel

In 2010, Turkey severed all diplomatic relations with Israel because Israel refused to apologize for the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid which killed eight Turkish and one Turco-American.

2010: Erdoğan Suggests Israel Dominates World Media

In 2010, following the Gaza flotilla raid, Erdoğan repeated the suggestion of Israel dominating the world media, remarks characterized as antisemitic.

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.

2011: Erdoğan Orders Demolition of Monument to Humanity

In 2011, Erdoğan ordered the tearing-down of the 33-meter-tall Monument to Humanity, a Turkish–Armenian friendship monument in Kars. He justified the removal by claiming the monument was too close to a tomb and illegally erected.

2011: Erdoğan Deems Statue of Humanity a "Freak" and it is Demolished

In 2011, during a visit to Kars, Erdoğan called the Statue of Humanity a "freak," leading to its demolition months later.

2011: Strained relations with Syria

In 2011, the relationship between Turkey and Syria became strained following the outbreak of conflict in Syria. Erdoğan began to support the opposition in Syria, after demonstrations turned violent, creating a serious Syrian refugee problem in Turkey.

2011: Support for secularism in Egypt

In a 2011 interview, Erdoğan stated he supported secularism for Egypt, which sparked criticism from Islamic movements. Commentators suggested his alliance with the military junta during Egypt's transition to democracy may have favored an authoritarian government.

February 2013: Comments on Zionism

In February 2013, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described Zionism as a "crime against humanity", comparing it to Islamophobia, antisemitism, and fascism. He later retracted the statement, clarifying his comments were directed at Israeli policies, especially regarding Gaza and settlements. The statement was criticized by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

August 2013: Condemnation of sit-in dispersals in Egypt

In August 2013, Erdoğan condemned the sit-in dispersals conducted by Egyptian police on August 14, 2013, at the Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda squares, where violent clashes led to numerous deaths.

August 2013: Allegations of Israeli involvement in Morsi's removal

In August 2013, the Hürriyet reported that Erdoğan claimed to have evidence of Israel's responsibility for the removal of Morsi from office in Egypt. Both the Israeli and Egyptian governments dismissed the suggestion.

2013: Widening of the Current Account Deficit

Between 2002 and 2012, a major consequence of the policies was the widening of the current account deficit from US$600 million to US$58 billion by 2013.

2013: Media censorship during the 2013 anti-government protests

During the 2013 anti-government protests, the mainstream media did not broadcast any news regarding the demonstrations for three days after they began. The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) controversially issued a fine to pro-opposition news channels.

2013: Criticism for politicization of the media after the 2013 protests

Erdoğan has been criticized for his politicization of the media, especially after the 2013 protests. The opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) alleged that over 1,863 journalists lost their jobs due to their anti-government views in 12 years of AKP rule.

2013: Corruption scandal implicates Erdoğan

In 2013, a US$100 billion corruption scandal led to the arrests of Erdoğan's close allies and implicated Erdoğan himself.

2013: Corruption Scandal

In 2013, a corruption scandal emerged, leading to a recording of a conversation between Erdoğan and his son Bilal, where Erdoğan allegedly instructed his family to 'nullify' all cash reserves. Subsequently, Erdoğan launched a media campaign to portray his family as frugal.

2013: Gezi Park protests

In 2013, the Gezi Park protests occurred against the perceived authoritarianism of Erdoğan and his policies. These protests started with a sit-in in Istanbul and grew after police used tear gas. Erdoğan's government initially apologized and called for a plebiscite, but later ordered a crackdown on the protesters.

2013: Government corruption scandal and accusations against Gülen

In late 2013, when Gülen withdrew support from the AKP government, a government corruption scandal broke out. Erdoğan accused Gülen of coordinating a "parallel state" within the judiciary in an attempt to topple him from power.

2013: Release of imprisoned military officers and journalists

When Gülen publicly withdrew support and openly attacked Erdoğan in late 2013, several imprisoned military officers and journalists were released, with the government admitting that the judicial proceedings were unfair.

March 2014: Government Blocks Twitter and YouTube

In late March 2014, Erdoğan's government blocked access to Twitter and YouTube after the release of a recording of a conversation between him and his son Bilal related to the 2013 corruption scandal.

April 2014: Accusations of damaging the judiciary's credibility

In April 2014, the President of the Constitutional Court, Haşim Kılıç, accused Erdoğan of damaging the credibility of the judiciary, labeling Erdoğan's attempts to increase political control over the courts as 'desperate'.

April 2014: Erdoğan's Office Issues Condolences for Armenian Mass Killings

On April 23, 2014, Erdoğan's office issued a statement in nine languages, offering condolences for the mass killings of Armenians and stating that the events of 1915 had inhumane consequences.

May 2014: Erdoğan's denial of dictatorship allegations

In May 2014, Erdoğan denounced allegations of dictatorship, stating that the opposition leader would not be able to roam the streets freely if he were a dictator.

July 2014: Criticism of Egyptian President el-Sisi

In July 2014, one year after the removal of Mohamed Morsi from office, Erdoğan described Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as an "illegitimate tyrant".

September 2014: Government Allowed to Block Websites Without Court Order

In September 2014, Erdoğan signed a bill into law that allowed the Turkish government to block websites without a prior court order, tightening controls over the Internet.

September 2014: Dissolution of cases against suspects including Bilal Erdoğan

On September 1, 2014, the courts dissolved the cases of 96 suspects, which included Bilal Erdoğan.

October 2014: Cancellation of Republic Day reception

On 29 October 2014, Erdoğan was due to hold a Republic Day reception in the new palace. However, after most invited participants announced that they would boycott the event and a mining accident occurred, the reception was cancelled.

2014: Investigations Launched for Insulting the President

Between 2014 and 2019, 128,872 investigations were launched for insulting the president, and prosecutors opened 27,717 criminal cases.

2014: Criticism for disproportionate media attention during the 2014 presidential election

During his 2014 presidential election campaign, Erdoğan was criticized for receiving disproportionate media attention in comparison to his rivals. The British newspaper The Times commented that between 2 and 4 July, the state-owned media channel TRT gave 204 minutes of coverage to Erdoğan's campaign and less than a total of 3 minutes to both his rivals.

2014: Accusations against Israel during Gaza War

During the 2014 Gaza War, Erdoğan accused Israel of conducting "state terrorism" and a "genocide attempt" against Palestinians, also stating that Israel would be tried at international courts if it continued its actions.

2014: Erdoğan's Accusations Against Israel During the 2014 Gaza War

In 2014, during the Gaza War, Erdoğan accused Israel of being "more barbaric than Hitler", and conducting "state terrorism" and a "genocide attempt" against the Palestinians, escalating tensions between Turkey and Israel.

2014: Turkey Blocks Access to Twitter

In 2014, the Turkish government temporarily blocked access to the social media platform Twitter.

2014: Passage of a law giving government greater control over judiciary

In early 2014, a new law was passed by parliament giving the government greater control over the judiciary, which sparked public protest throughout the country.

February 2015: Teenager Charged for Insulting Erdoğan on Facebook

In February 2015, a 13-year-old was charged by a prosecutor for allegedly insulting Erdoğan on .

March 2015: Judge Orders Erdoğan to Pay Moral Indemnities

In March 2015, a judge ordered Erdoğan to pay 10,000 liras to Mehmet Aksoy for "moral indemnities" related to the demolition of the Statue of Humanity.

April 2015: Pope Francis Describes Atrocities as Genocide

In April 2015, Pope Francis described atrocities against Armenian civilians in 1915–1922 as "the first genocide of the 20th century", leading to Erdoğan recalling the Turkish ambassador from the Vatican.

December 2015: Threats against Turkish Kurds if AKP lost election

On December 20, 2015, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu threatened that if his party did not win the election, Turkish Kurds would endure a repeat of the era of the "white Toros".

2015: US Senators' concern over democracy in Turkey

In 2015, 74 US senators sent a letter to US Secretary of State, John Kerry, to state their concern over what they saw as deviations from the basic principles of democracy in Turkey and oppressions of Erdoğan over media.

2015: Turkey Joins Intervention Against ISIS

In 2015, Turkey joined the international military intervention against the Islamic State. The Turkish Armed Forces' Operation Euphrates Shield aimed to conquer areas around Jarabulus and al-Bab from IS.

2015: End of Peace Process with PKK and Resumption of Conflict

In 2015, following AKP electoral defeat, the rise of a social democrat, pro-Kurdish rights opposition party, and the minor Ceylanpınar incident, Erdoğan decided the peace process with the PKK was over. He supported the revocation of parliamentary immunity of HDP parliamentarians, leading to a resumption of violent confrontation.

January 2016: Academics Criticizing Military Crackdown Arrested

In January 2016, more than a thousand academics signed a petition criticizing Turkey's military crackdown on ethnic Kurdish towns. Erdoğan accused the signatories of "terrorist propaganda" and called for action. Over 30 of the signatories were arrested, and nearly half were fired from their jobs.

February 2016: Erdoğan Threatens to Send Refugees to EU

In February 2016, Erdoğan threatened to send the millions of refugees in Turkey to EU member states, saying he could open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and put the refugees on buses.

March 2016: Seizure of Zaman newspaper

In March 2016, the Zaman newspaper was seized by President Erdoğan's government as they continued to press for court action against the remaining free press in Turkey.

April 2016: European Parliament progress report

In April 2016, rapporteur Kati Piri said that the overall pace of reforms in Turkey has not only slowed down but in some key areas, such as freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary, there has been a regression, which is particularly worrying.

May 2016: Former Miss Turkey Sentenced for Insulting the President

In May 2016, Merve Büyüksaraç, a former Miss Turkey model, was sentenced to more than a year in prison for allegedly insulting the president.

June 2016: Statements on destroying civil groups

On 22 June 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that he considered himself successful in "destroying" Turkish civil groups "working against the state".

June 2016: Council of Europe Warns About Democratic Institutions

On June 22, 2016, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe warned that "recent developments in Turkey pertaining to freedom of the media and of expression, erosion of the rule of law and the human rights violations in relation to anti-terrorism security operations in south-east Turkey have raised serious questions about the functioning of its democratic institutions".

July 2016: Arrests Following Coup Attempt

In the wake of the July 2016 coup attempt, the Erdoğan administration began rounding up tens of thousands of individuals from both within the government and the public sector, incarcerating them on charges of alleged "terrorism."

July 2016: Military Coup Attempt in Turkey

On 15 July 2016, a coup d'état was attempted by the military to remove Erdoğan from government, but the government managed to regain control by the next day.

July 2016: State of Emergency Declared

On July 20, 2016, President Erdoğan declared a state of emergency, citing the coup d'état attempt as justification. It was initially scheduled to last three months and was approved by the Turkish parliament.

August 2016: Journalists Rounded Up and Incarcerated

In August 2016, Erdoğan began rounding up and incarcerating journalists who had been publishing articles questioning corruption within his administration. The number of Turkish journalists jailed by Turkey exceeded that of any other country.

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."

November 2016: Government Blocks Social Media and Internet Access

In November 2016, the Turkish government blocked access to social media throughout Turkey and sought to completely block Internet access for citizens in the southeast of the country. This was followed by the arrest or imprisonment of over 90,000 Turkish citizens after the 2016 coup attempt.

2016: Arrests and Removals Following Turkish Coup Attempt

Following the 2016 Turkish coup attempt, representatives and elected HDP members were systematically arrested, removed, and replaced in their offices.

2016: Erdoğan Refuses to Recognize Annexation of Crimea

In 2016, Erdoğan told his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko that Turkey would not recognize the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, calling it "Crimea's occupation".

2016: Waiter Arrested for Insulting Erdoğan

In 2016, a waiter was arrested for allegedly insulting Erdoğan by stating that he would not even serve tea to him if he came to the waiter's establishment.

2016: Turkey's Actions Against ISIS and Kurdish Militant Groups

In 2016, following the attempted coup, Erdoğan ordered the Turkish military into Syria to combat ISIS and Kurdish militant groups, addressing the rise in terror incidents in Turkey.

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.

March 2017: Call for Demographic Warfare

In March 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated to the Turks in Europe, "Make not three, but five children. Because you are the future of Europe. That will be the best response to the injustices against you."

April 2017: Legislation Silencing Opposition Passed

In April 2017, Erdoğan successfully sponsored legislation making it effectively illegal for the Turkish legislative branch to investigate his executive branch of government. At the time of the legislation's passing, United States President Donald Trump called Erdoğan to congratulate him for his "recent referendum victory".

April 2017: Turkey Blocks Access to Wikipedia

In April 2017, Turkey blocked all access to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia due to a content dispute.

April 2017: Wikipedia Blocked in Turkey

On April 29, 2017, Erdoğan's administration began an internal Internet block of all of the Wikipedia online encyclopedia site via Turkey's domestic Internet filtering system. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales responded, "Access to information is a fundamental human right."

June 2017: Erdoğan Criticizes Isolation of Qatar

In June 2017, Erdoğan condemned the isolation of Qatar as "inhumane and against Islamic values," stating that "victimising Qatar through smear campaigns serves no purpose."

July 2017: Putin Offers S-400 to Turkey

In July 2017, Putin offered the S-400 air defense system to Turkey, leading to warnings from the United States regarding Turkey's F-35 purchase and integration into the NATO air defense net.

September 2017: Erdoğan Condemns Persecution of Muslims in Myanmar

In September 2017, Erdoğan condemned the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar and accused Myanmar of "genocide" against the Muslim minority.

December 2017: Erdoğan Warns Trump on Jerusalem Recognition

In December 2017, President Erdoğan warned Donald Trump after the U.S. President recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, stating that "Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims." He also called Israel a "terrorist state".

2017: Erdoğan Against LGBT Empowerment

In 2017, Erdoğan stated that empowering LGBT people in Turkey was "against the values of our nation".

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.

2017: Continuation of Violent Confrontation

Violent confrontation continued in 2017, mainly in the South East of Turkey, resulting in higher death tolls and several external operations on the part of the Turkish military.

January 2018: Operation Olive Branch in Afrin

In January 2018, the Turkish military, along with Syrian National Army and Sham Legion allies, launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Northern Syria, targeting the Kurdish armed group YPG.

March 2018: Ongoing Purges in Turkey

By March 2018, the state of emergency declared in July 2016 was continuously extended amidst ongoing purges in Turkey. More than 50,000 people had been arrested and over 160,000 fired from their jobs.

July 2018: Thousands of Officials Sacked

On July 8, 2018, Erdoğan sacked 18,000 officials for alleged ties to US based cleric Fethullah Gülen, shortly before renewing his term as an executive president. 9000 of those removed were police officers and 5000 were from the armed forces, with hundreds of academics.

August 2018: US Sanctions Turkish Ministers

In August 2018, the U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned two senior Turkish government ministers involved in the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson. Erdoğan responded by stating that the U.S. behavior would force Turkey to seek new friends and allies.

2018: Economic Crisis Begins

Starting in 2018, factors such as Erdoğan's decreasing the independence of the Central Bank, pushing unorthodox monetary policy, excessive current account deficit and foreign-currency debt, and increasing authoritarianism, led to an economic crisis with large depreciation of the Turkish lira and very high inflation.

April 2019: Erdoğan Claims West Bank Belongs to Palestinians

In April 2019, Erdoğan asserted that the West Bank belongs to Palestinians, responding to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement about annexing Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

October 2019: Turkish Offensive into North-Eastern Syria

In October 2019, after the United States withdrew troops from the border, Turkey proceeded to attack the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, leading to criticism from NATO and European Union countries. Erdoğan also filed a criminal complaint against French magazine Le Point.

2019: Investigations Launched for Insulting the President

Between 2014 and 2019, 128,872 investigations were launched for insulting the president, and prosecutors opened 27,717 criminal cases.

2019: Erdoğan Condemns Actions of Juan Guaidó

Following the 2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt, Erdoğan condemned the actions of lawmaker Juan Guaidó, asserting that only democratic elections can determine how a country is governed.

2019: Turkish Foreign Ministry Condemns China's Treatment of Uyghurs

In 2019, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned China's "reintroduction of concentration camps in the 21st century" regarding the Uyghurs. Later that year, Erdoğan softened his stance during a visit to China.

2019: AKP loses control of Istanbul and Ankara

In the 2019 local elections, the ruling party AKP lost control of Istanbul and Ankara for the first time in 25 years. It has been widely attributed to Erdoğan's mismanagement of the Turkish economic crisis, rising authoritarianism as well as the alleged government inaction on the Syrian refugee crisis.

July 2020: New Measures to Control Social Media Announced

On July 1, 2020, Erdoğan announced that the government would introduce new measures and regulations to control or shut down social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Netflix. Each company would be required to appoint an official representative in the country to respond to legal concerns.

August 2020: Biden Calls for New Approach to Erdoğan

In August 2020, Joe Biden called for a new U.S. approach to President Erdoğan, labeling him an "autocrat," and suggested support for Turkish opposition parties.

September 2020: Biden Demands Erdoğan Stay Out of Nagorno-Karabakh War

In September 2020, Joe Biden demanded that Erdoğan "stay out" of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War between Azerbaijan and Armenia, in which Turkey supported the Azeris.

2020: Homosexuality Condemned for Bringing Illness

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkey's top Muslim scholar, Ali Erbaş, condemned homosexuality for "bringing illness," insinuating it caused the pandemic; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan backed Erbaş.

April 2021: Biden Formally Recognizes Armenian Genocide

In April 2021, US President Joe Biden formally recognized the Armenian genocide. Erdoğan condemned the move as "groundless", "unfair" and "destructive", and accused Biden of bowing to "pressure from radical Armenian groups and anti-Turkish circles".

2021: Erdoğan Accuses Israel of Terrorism Against Palestinians

In 2021, Erdoğan accused Israel of "terrorism" against the Palestinians and said, "they kill children who are five or six years old. They only are satisfied by sucking their blood", which the Anti-Defamation League and others cited as an instance of blood libel.

2021: Turkey Withdraws From Istanbul Convention

In 2021, Erdoğan withdrew Turkey from the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention on violence against women and has attacked groups that defend women.

2021: Decline in Freedom of the Press

Reporters Without Borders reported a rank of 153 out of 179 countries on its Press Freedom Index for Turkey in 2021 during Erdoğan's later terms.

June 2022: Campaign launch controversy

In the 2023 presidential election, Erdoğan's candidacy was contested due to his campaign launch in June 2022, with the opposition arguing that a third term would violate the constitution.

2022: Decrease in PKK-Turkey Conflict Intensity

As of 2022, the intensity of the PKK-Turkey conflict did decrease in recent years, even though six thousand additional deaths occurred in Turkey alone for 2015–2022.

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.

February 2023: Catastrophic earthquake in Turkey and Syria

In February 2023, a catastrophic earthquake struck south-central Turkey and northwestern Syria, resulting in over 50,000 deaths in Turkey during Erdoğan's administration. Collapsed buildings, many constructed under lax regulations, exacerbated the high death toll.

October 2023: Erdoğan Condemns Israeli Attacks in Gaza

In October 2023, Erdoğan condemned Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war, calling them a violation of human rights and likening Israel's response to Hamas's attack as a disproportionate "massacre."

November 2023: Erdoğan Accuses Israel of Genocide

On 15 November 2023, Erdoğan condemned Israel as a "terrorist state" and accused it of committing genocide against the Palestinians.

2023: Trials for Comparing Erdogan to Gollum

Between 2016 and 2023 there were trials for insulting the president for having compared Erdogan to Gollum, a fictional character of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

The Lord Of The Rings: One Volume
The Lord Of The Rings: One Volume

2023: Erdoğan Blames LGBTQ+ People for Undermining Family Values

In 2023, Erdoğan blamed LGBTQ+ people for "undermining family values" in Turkey and called his political opponents "gays" in a derogatory manner, criticized as a tactic to distract from economic failings and rally his base.

2023: Erdoğan Speaks Against LGBT People

Starting from 2023, Erdoğan began openly speaking against LGBT people, openly saying that his Coalition "are against the LGBT", and accusing the Turkish opposition of being LGBT.

June 2025: Erdoğan Condemns Israeli Strikes on Iran

In June 2025, Erdoğan condemned Israeli strikes on Iran, describing them as acts of "state terrorism."