Erdoğan; A Dictatorship Through the Ballot Box Author: Gouya Roshan
Erdoğan; A Dictatorship Through the Ballot Box Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is no longer just a president; he has become a symbol of the concentration of power in Turkey. Many Turkish citizens, especially a large part of the political opposition, journalists, academics, civil rights activists, and artists, consider him a figure with authoritarian tendencies, even a dictator. On the other hand, there is still a small group of Turks who see him as a successful statesman. However, what matters is not only his actions, but also his slogans. Dictatorship does not only mean the absence of elections; it begins when elections can no longer control power. When critical media outlets are silenced, journalists are imprisoned, opposition figures are put on trial, and the judiciary loses its independence, one can no longer speak of democracy simply because elections are held. Years ago, Erdoğan came to power with promises of freedom, reform, and justice, but gradually concentrated power in his own hands. T...