The lofty Mr Erdogan

the economist
The Turkish government
The prime minister picks a government and lures the opposition to parliament

Jul 14th 2011

ANKARA AND ISTANBUL
from the print edition
TURKEY’S prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has a knack for getting his way. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), had vowed that he and his colleagues would not be sworn in until two jailed members who won seats in a general election on June 12th were freed. But this week the party’s deputies took their oaths in parliament, averting a drawn-out political crisis, even though the courts had rejected appeals for the members’ release....more...
read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/18959251

Impasse overcome as CHP takes oath

se times
12/07/2011

The AKP and CHP agree to work together in resolving a controversy over disqualified parliamentary deputies.
By Alakbar Raufoglu for Southeast European Times – 12/07/11
Ending a nearly two-week deadlock, lawmakers from the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) agreed to take their parliamentary oath on Monday (July 11th).

The agreement came after three hours of negotiations with leaders of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)....more....
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/12/feature-01

Erdogan intensifies Turkish effort to join EU

independent
Reuters
Thursday 7 July 2011
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reshuffled his cabinet yesterday, retaining Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek to manage the overheating economy and creating a new ministry to press Turkey's campaign to join the EU....more...
read more: independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/erdogan-intensifies-turkish-effort-to-join-eu-2307943.html

Tuncel: AKP must "make a decision" on Kurdish issue

se times
06/07/2011

The government should show whether it is committed to finding a solution, says pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) politician Sebahat Tuncel in an exclusive interview with SETimes.
By Anna Wood for Southeast European Times in Istanbul – 06/07/11
An unanticipated political crisis has emerged in the aftermath of Turkey's national elections. Elected parliamentarians from the main opposition CHP and the Kurdish-backed Labour, Democracy and Freedom bloc have been denied entry to parliament, ostensibly because of their criminal records....more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/06/feature-04

Business as usual

the economist
Turkey after the elections
It has not taken long for rancour to return to Turkish politics

Jun 30th 2011

ISTANBUL
from the print edition
RIDING on pledges of continued stability and more democracy, on June 12th Turkey’s conservative Justice and Development (AK) party was returned to an unprecedented third term of office. In his victory speech the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared that he would work with the opposition to write a new constitution. Yet a fortnight later the country seems on the verge of political deadlock. At the opening session of the new parliament almost one-third of the deputies refused to be sworn in....more...
read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/18898268

The Western media and Erdogan: Falling out of love?

se times
21/06/2011

2011 may go down as the year when the Western media ‘fell out of love’ with Turkey’s ruling AKP. What went wrong?
By Alexander Christie-Miller for Southeast European Times in Istanbul – 21/06/11
When The Economist magazine urged voters to back the opposition CHP in Turkey’s recent general election, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted Israel could be to blame.

“The international media, because they are backed by Israel, wouldn’t be happy with the continuation of the AK Party government,” said Erdogan, who won re-election on June 12th....more....
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/06/21/feature-01

Erdogan's landslide

the economist
Turkey's election

The re-elected Turkish prime minister should seek consensus not confrontation

Jun 16th 2011

from the print edition
IT WAS a commanding victory by any standard. In the Turkish election on June 12th the Justice and Development (AK) party, led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the sitting prime minister, took nearly 50% of the vote, on a turnout of 87%. This is AK’s third win in a row; its share of the vote has risen each time. Amid the turmoil of the Arab spring, Turkey offers a heartening example of a secular democracy in the Muslim world.....more....
read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/18836098

AK all over again

the economist
Turkey's election
It was an impressive victory for Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) party. What will he do with it?

Jun 16th 2011

ANKARA AND ISTANBUL
from the print edition
THERE was a decided feeling of déjà vu when Turkey’s prime minister gave a victory speech on the balcony of his Justice and Development (AK) party’s Ankara headquarters after the June 12th election. When Recep Tayyip Erdogan was returned to single-party rule with a 47% voting share in 2007, he made identical-sounding pledges: to embrace those who did not vote for him, to mollify the opposition, to write a new constitution, not to interfere in secular Turks’ lifestyles, and to make peace with the Kurds. This time voters gave Mr Erdogan 50%, making him the first Turkish leader to win three elections in a row—and to increase his vote share each time. Turnout was high (87%) and the polls were unmarred by violence or fraud.....more....
read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/18836458