Archive for the ‘Erdogan’ Category

Erdogan Trains His Broom on a Sweep of Turkeys Governing …

But the president has evidently calculated that the changes will pay off before nationwide municipal elections next year. Political rivals suggest that Mr. Erdogan may even be preparing to call early presidential elections in July, if it appears that his popularity is slipping.

The moves against the mayors come after the president already imprisoned and fired tens of thousands of police officers, judges, civil servants, journalists and academics in the aftermath of last years failed coup. In the largely Kurdish southeast, he replaced the mayors in 82 of 103 municipalities.

After his victory in the April referendum, he reassumed the leadership of his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, in May and then started a cull within the organization he had founded, swiftly changing 19 seats on its 50-member executive board.

More personnel changes are expected in coming months, Turkish political journalists are reporting, as the party holds a series of regional congresses ahead of a general party congress early next year.

This is in fact our peoples demand, Mr. Erdogan told a biannual party congress in October. We have to undertake this renewal process, need for change, and demand for refreshing, with our own will. If we do not do this ourselves, our people will do it at the ballot boxes.

Mr. Erdogan remains by far the most prominent and popular politician in Turkey. But his party has slipped to 43 percent from 49 percent in popular support, according to one recent opinion poll.

His officials and even family members have been tainted by growing accusations of corruption, including that ministers accepted bribes worth millions of dollars, a case now before a United States federal court.

The Erdogan-backed referendum only narrowly passed in April, an indication that he cannot take the presidential race for granted, particularly in Turkeys largest cities. Government officials say the mayors were not performing satisfactorily.

Municipal services have stalled, a presidential adviser explained recently in an interview. He spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with standard protocol in the presidency. Thats why people are not happy. he said. Thats why President Erdogan is saying we need a shake-up.

Mr. Erdogan has been warning party members that they must win 51 percent of the vote to secure the presidential election, a harder task than winning a simple majority under the parliamentary system.

What is more natural than us strengthening our party with new names? he asked in the same October speech. The reason we are discussing this issue so much is the current difficult conditions. These hard roads cannot be walked with tired bodies.

One of the aims is to bring in new energy and fresh ideas because Turkeys electorate is becoming increasingly younger, Mehdi Eker, vice president of the AKP and member of Parliament, said in an interview. We are a young population, he said. The median age is something like 32.

One of the first things the new mayor of Ankara has done is to extend public transportation to run all night, a decision popular with the youth. Another measure has lowered the minimum age for holding public office to 18 from 25.

Yet despite Mr. Erdogans dominance of the party, the mayors did not go meekly. Several resisted for weeks, reluctant to step down.

Perhaps the chief resister was Melih Gokcek, an ebullient self-promoter who had served 23 years as mayor of Ankara, and whose position had seemed unassailable.

After several meetings with the president, he eventually yielded. Not because I am unsuccessful, not because I am tired, he told city officials and supporters at a final council meeting on Oct. 28. Only and only, I am fulfilling Recep Tayyip Erdogans request.

There was no love lost between Mr. Gokcek and Mr. Erdogan, both former mayors, and both ambitious businessmen and politicians.

Mr. Gokcek wielded enormous patronage in Ankara through his municipal construction projects and local welfare programs, and with more than four million followers on Twitter, he was a potential political rival to Mr. Erdogan.

Yet many residents and local officials were glad to see him gone, complaining of corrupt practices and ill-judged construction projects that have created unsustainable urban sprawl and even a shortage of water.

The Chamber of City Planners in Ankara fought 600 court cases against Mr. Gokcek over the years, challenging the legality of much of his municipal work, said Orhan Sarialtun, the groups president.

Political opponents criticized the manner of the mayors dismissal, but did not shed many tears.

We are objecting to his resignation because it is against democracy, said Aylin Nazliaka, a member of Parliament from Ankara who has been in dispute with the former mayor for years. However Melih Gokcek is of such a nature that no one can defend him, she said.

Putting a new broom to his administration and changing mayors who could not deliver the vote makes political sense, said Soner Cagaptay, an author and political analyst. Mr. Erdogan cannot afford to lose the big cities, especially Istanbul, his hometown and power base, Mr. Cagaptay said.

But the vetting has left a bitter taste. The mayor of Balikesir, the rich industrialist Edip Ugur, complained that his family had been threatened and resigned in tears from the party and from his job on Oct. 30.

In an interview in December at a sprawling conference center, his last project as mayor, developed on land that was once a city slum, Mr. Ugur said that Mr. Erdogan had wooed him assiduously to join his new party back in 2001. They had enjoyed success because the party had been open to discussion and new ideas, he said.

Reading from his resignation speech, Mr. Ugur lamented that the party was turning into an autocracy and was devouring its own.

Does loyalty seem to be overtaking meritocracy, he asked. This reform and innovation within the AK Party is turning into an autophagy.

Rusen Cakir, an experienced political columnist and founder of a live-streaming outlet, Medyascope TV, said the decisions may leave the party weaker, even if they concentrate more power with the president.

The greatest secret of his success has always been teamwork, Mr. Cakir said of Mr. Erdogan in a recent video blog. At every stage he shuffled his team, but he always worked with very strong teams each time.

But the president was no longer sharing power with strong players. Step by step, he purged everyone who is capable of standing on their own feet, Mr. Cakir said. He does not share power anymore, he allocates.

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Erdogan says U.S. can’t buy Turkish support on Jerusalem …

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey told U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday he could not buy its support in a United Nations vote on Jerusalem, and said the world should teach the United States a very good lesson by resisting U.S. pressure.

Trump has threatened to cut aid to countries that support a draft U.N. resolution calling for the United States to withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in Ankara U.N. member states should not let their decision in Thursdays vote at the U.N. General Assembly be dictated by money.

Mr. Trump, you cannot buy Turkeys democratic will with your dollars, he said. The dollars will come back, but your will wont once its sold.

That is why your stance is important.

Trumps announcement two weeks ago that he was recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital broke with decades of U.S. policy and international consensus that the citys status must be left to Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Last week Erdogan hosted a special meeting of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, which condemned Trumps decision and called on the world to respond by recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it in an action not recognized internationally.

Trumps Jerusalem move led to harsh criticisms from Muslim countries and Israels closest European allies, who have also rejected the move.

A draft resolution calling for withdrawal of Trumps decision was vetoed at the United Nations Security Council by the United States on Monday. Following that vote, opponents of the U.S. decision called for the vote in the General Assembly.

I hope and expect the United States wont get the result it expects from there and the world will give a very good lesson to the United States, Erdogan said.

Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Dominic Evans and Ralph Boulton

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Erdogan says U.S. can't buy Turkish support on Jerusalem ...

Trump praises Erdogan: ‘We have a great friendship’ | TheHill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for serious case of amnesia after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I dont want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MOREon Thursdayhailed the closerelationship formed withhis Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a bilateral meeting in New York.

"We have a great friendship, as countries and I think we're right now ascloseas we've ever been," Trump said, according to pool reports. His comments come a day after delivering his first address before the United Nations General Assembly.

Trump praises Erdoan, says US and Turkey relationship is closest that has never been pic.twitter.com/Ci4KTJ1IXm

Trump went on to say that Erdogan is running a very difficult part of the world. He has evolved very strongly, and frankly hes getting very high marks.

The Turkish presidentreciprocated Trump's sentiments, calling his counterpart "my dear friend Donald," according to the pool report.

Nine protesters were injured in a clash with Erdogan's bodyguards outside the Turkish Embassy in Washington in May, after the Turkish president met with Trump to discuss. fighting terror groups in the Middle East.

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Trump praises Erdogan: 'We have a great friendship' | TheHill

Turkey seeks jail term for Knicks’ Enes Kanter for insulting …

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking more than four years in prison for NBA player Enes Kanter on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Anadolu Agency says an indictment prepared by the Istanbul chief prosecutor's office accuses the New York Knicks center of insulting the president in a series of tweets he posted in May and June 2016.

Kanter, who is in the United States, would be tried in absentia.

Kanter said on Wednesday that he isn't bothered by the potential indictment.

"You guys were seeing today that I was just out there having fun, playing basketball and practicing with my teammates," Kanter said. "... You guys are going to say, 'How do you get used to, like, prison, this and that, whatever?' I think it's just nothing to me, man, because I'm in America. I'm good. My focus right now is just going out there, playing basketball, having fun with my teammates and just winning, and just thinking about playoffs. I don't really think about all this stuff, whatever. They can do whatever they want to do."

Kanter, who grew up in Turkey, is a vocal supporter of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric blamed by Turkey for last year's failed military coup. Kanter was detained in Romania on May 20 because his Turkish passport was canceled. He said he was able to return to the United States after American officials intervened.

The Knicks center said he found out about the indictment on Wednesday morning.

"I was like, 'Oh, four years.' I was like, 'That's it? Only four years? All the trash I've been talking?' I said I promise you guys, it doesn't really bother me a little, even one bit," he said. "My thing is just going out there and just playing basketball."

Kanter was asked Wednesday if he hopes the situation in his country can change.

"The only thing you can do is just pray for all these innocent people in Turkey," he said. "People don't understand. They're saying your family is still back in Turkey -- why are you doing all of this? Why are you talking? I'm just trying to be the voice of all of these innocent people, man. Because all of these innocent people are just going through really tough times. Journalists, innocent people in jail getting tortured and killed and kidnapped. And it's pretty messed up."

He added that the Knicks' success on the court would be a good way to answer back to the government.

"If we make playoffs, then that will drive him crazy, so that's what I'm really focused on right now, just make the playoffs and drive this dude crazy," he said.

Of Erdogan, Kanter added: "That dude is maniac. Think about it. I mean, America ... you've got freedom of whatever you want to say. I mean, it's a free country. But it's not like that in Turkey. You cannot criticize or you cannot even say nothing bad about the dude, Erdogan. Just, like, say he's a bad guy and you're in a prison. It's politics. People can choose or say whatever they want to say. I think right now the situation there is pretty messed up."

ESPN's Ian Begley and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Turkey seeks jail term for Knicks' Enes Kanter for insulting ...

Tweet Over Legendary Turkish Officer Stirs Erdogan-U.A.E …

Its been more than a century since Arabs revolted against the rule of the Ottoman Empire. But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thrust himself into the center of that World War I confrontation Wednesday to defend the honor of a legendary Turkish officer slighted in the U.A.E.

Erdogan lashed out at United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for sharing a Twitter post accusing Fahreddin Pasha of thievery, kidnapping other crimes against the local population. These are Erdogans ancestors and their history with Arabs and Muslims, the post said.

The Turkish president was not going to take that jab at him and the fabled Ottoman governor lying down: Pasha is revered in Turkey for trying to prevent Arab forces backed by T.E. Lawrence from capturing Medina, one of Islams holiest cities and now part of Saudi Arabia.

Hey, the pathetic person who is slandering us: Where were your forefathers when Fahreddin Pasha was defending Medina? he told a meeting of village and neighborhood officials at the presidential palace in Ankara. Arab people are our brothers. That said, the enmity of some leaders in Arab countries is meant to hide their own incompetence and even treason.He didnt mention the foreign minister by name.

Erdogan may see some shared history with the historic figure to whose defense he rallied. Like Pasha, he, too, sometimes finds himself jousting with fellow Muslims. Gulf Arabs, for example, abhor his decision to draw closer to the Iranian-Russian alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in.

He also has adopted the role of defender of Islam. Most recently, hes taken the lead in denouncing President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, convening the Muslim worlds largest political bloc, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, for a high-profile extraordinary session in Istanbul.

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