Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, born February 26, 1954 is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey and a former mayor of Istanbul. He is also the chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
Erdoğan graduated in 1981 from Marmara University's Faculty of Economics and Commercial Sciences. He was involved in politics from the age of eighteen. Erdoğan was also engaged in the sport as a semi-professional football player from 1969 to 1982.
Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul in the local elections of March 27, 1994. He was banned from office and sentenced to a prison term because of a poem he recited during a public address in the province of Siirt on December 12, 1997. The poem was quoted from a book published by a state enterprise and one that had been recommended to teachers by the Ministry of Education. After four months in prison, Erdoğan established the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on August 14, 2001. From its first year, the AK Party became the largest publicly-supported political movement in Turkey. In 2002, the general elections resulted with the AK Party winning nearly two-thirds of the seats in parliament, forming a single-party government after 19 years.
As prime minister, Erdoğan implemented numerous reforms. After 45 years, the negotiations for Turkey's accession to the EU started during Erdoğan's tenure. Parallel to this, inflation, which had for decades adversely affected the country's economy, was taken under control and the Turkish Lira retrieved its former prestige through the elimination of six zeros. Interest rates for public borrowings were pulled down; per capita income grew significantly. The AK party won the elections of 2007 making it the first time in 52 years that a party in power has increased its votes for a second term.
In 2011, Erdoğan declared his intention to seek re-election in the 2011 general election.
Early political career
While studying business administration at what is today Marmara University’s Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and playing semi-professional football, Erdoğan also engaged in politics by joining the National Turkish Student Union, an anti-communist action group. In 1976, he became the head of Beyoğlu youth branch of the Islamist National Salvation Party (MSP). That same year, he was promoted to the position of chair for the Istanbul youth branch of the party.
After the 1980 military coup, Erdoğan followed most of Erbakan's followers into the Welfare Party. He became the party’s Beyoglu district chair in 1984, and in 1985 he became the chair of the Istanbul city branch. He was elected to parliament in 1991, but barred from taking his seat.
Mayor of Istanbul, 1994–1998
In the local elections of March 27, 1994 Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul, the social and economic capital of Turkey and one of the biggest metropolitan areas of the world. He received 25.19% of the popular vote. Many feared that he would impose Islamic law. However, he proved to be very pragmatic in office. Erdoğan tackled many chronic problems of Istanbul, such as water shortage, pollution and traffic chaos. The water shortage problem was solved with the laying of hundreds of kilometers of new pipelines. The garbage problem was solved with the establishment of state-of-the-art recycling facilities. While Erdoğan was in office, air pollution was reduced through a plan developed to switch to natural gas. He changed the public buses with environmentally friendly buses. The city's traffic and transportation jams were ameliorated with more than fifty bridges, viaducts, and highways. Erdoğan also prohibited the sale of alcohol in city services. After a period, this measure was reversed. While taking precautions to prevent corruption, Erdoğan took measures to ensure that municipal funds were used prudently. Erdoğan paid back a major portion of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's two billion dollar debt when he took office and meanwhile invested four billion dollars in the city.
Erdoğan initiated the first roundtable of mayors during the Istanbul conference, which led to a global, organized movement of mayors. Because of his works, a seven member international jury from the United Nations unanimously found Erdoğan deserving the UN-HABITAT award.
Prime Ministership, 2003–present
In 2001, Erdoğan established the moderate Justice and Development Party with renewalists (yenilikçiler) of the former Fazilet Partisi and Anavatan Partisi members. The AK Party won a landslide victory in the 2002 election, taking nearly two-thirds of the seats. However, Erdoğan could not became prime minister right away, as he was still banned from politics by the judiciary for his speech in Siirt, and deputy leader Gül thus became the prime minister instead. In December 2002 the Supreme Election Board canceled the general election results from Siirt due to voting irregularities and scheduled a new election for February 9, 2003. By this time, party leader Erdoğan was able to run for Parliament thanks to a legal change made possible by the opposition Republican People’s Party. The AK Party duly listed Erdoğan as a candidate for the rescheduled Siirt election, and he won, becoming prime minister after Gül subsequently handed over the post.
Democracy
Erdoğan's pro-EU government instituted several democratic reforms. He gave the European Court of Human Rights supremacy over Turkish courts, reduced the powers of the 1991 Anti-Terror Law which had constrained Turkey’s democratization, and abolished many restrictions on freedom of speech and the press. He also passed a partial amnesty to reduce penalties faced by many members of the Kurdish terrorist organization PKK who had surrendered to the government.
The government planned several times to replace the Turkish Constitution of 1982 with a more democratic "civil constitution", but the main opposition party CHP did not want to participate.
In 2009, the Turkish government under Prime Minister Erdoğan announced a plan to help end the quarter-century-long conflict that has cost more than 40,000 lives. The government’s plan, supported by the European Union, allowed the Kurdish language to be used in all broadcast media and political campaigns, and restore Kurdish names to cities and towns that have been given Turkish ones.
Such measures, many of which have been required for entry to the European Union, were inconceivable in the early 1980s, when aggressive state policies prohibited use of the Kurdish language and other cultural and political rights for the Kurds.
“We took a courageous step to resolve chronic issues that constitute an obstacle along Turkey’s development, progression and empowerment.” Erdoğan said regarding the issue.
He mentioned in Bishkek about Turkey that "in France, and in Russia. We currently already have a semi-presidential system. There is a strong presidency.
United States
When Barack Obama became President of United States, he made his first overseas bilateral meeting to Turkey in April 2009.
At a joint news conference in Turkey, Obama said: "I'm trying to make a statement about the importance of Turkey, not just to the United States but to the world. I think that where there's the most promise of building stronger U.S.-Turkish relations is in the recognition that Turkey and the United States can build a model partnership in which a predominantly Christian nation, a predominantly Muslim nation – a Western nation and a nation that straddles two continents," he continued, "that we can create a modern international community that is respectful, that is secure, that is prosperous, that there are not tensions – inevitable tensions between cultures – which I think is extraordinarily important.
Elections and Referendums
General elections
The elections of 2002 were the first elections in which Erdogan participated as a leader of a party. All parties previously elected to parliament failed to win enough votes to re-enter the parliament. The AK Party won 34.3% of the national vote and formed the new government. Turkish stocks rose more than 7% on Monday morning. Politicians of the previous generation, such as Ecevit, Bahceli, Yılmaz and Çiller, declared to resign from their role as political leader. The second biggest party CHP received 19.4% of the votes.
The stage of the elections of 2007 was set for a fight for legitimacy in the eyes of voters between his government and the country’s kemalist opposition. Erdoğan used the events at that took place during the ill-fated Presidential elections a few months earlier as a part of the general election campaign of his party. In the night of 22 July 2007, it became obvious that AK Party had won an important victory over the opposition, garnering 46.7% of the popular vote. July 22 elections were only the second time in the Turkish Republic's history whereby an incumbent governing party won an election by increasing its share of popular support.
On 14 March 2008, Turkey's Chief Prosecutor asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban Erdoğan's governing party. The party later escaped a ban on 30 July 2008, a year after winning 46.7% of the vote in national elections, only receiving a removal of 50% share of their public granted funds.
Personal life and education
Erdoğan was born in the Kasımpaşa neighborhood of Istanbul to a family that moved from Rize Province. When he visited Georgia on August 11, 2004, he said I'm a Georgian too, my family is Georgian family, migrated from Batumi to Rize. But retired high school teacher and historian Cezmi Yurtsever claims that his family descends from the family of Bagatlı Recep, a large Muslim Turkish family that was settled around Trabzon after Mehmed II's conquest of the city. "Bagatlı Recep" (meaning Recep from Bagat), died in 1916 fighting against the invading Russian and Armenian forces.
Erdoğan spent his early childhood in Rize, where his father was a member of the Turkish Coast Guard.The family returned to Istanbul when Erdoğan was 13 years old. His mother's name is Tenzile Erdoğan. As a teenager, Erdoğan sold lemonade and sesame buns (simit) on the streets of Istanbul's rougher districts to earn extra money. Brought up in a observant Muslim family, he graduated from Kasımpaşa Piyale primary school in 1965 and from Istanbul Religious Vocational High School in 1973 (İmam Hatip school). Erdoğan received his high school diploma from Eyüp High School. He then studied Business Administration at Aksaray School of Economics and Commercial Sciences (now it is known as Marmara University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences).
In his youth, Erdoğan played semi-professional football in a local club. The stadium of the local football club of the district he grew up in, Kasımpaşa S.K., a team which is currently playing in the Turkish Süper Lig, is named after him.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan married Emine Erdoğan (née Gülbaran) (b. 1955 in Siirt), whom he met during a conference, on 4 July 1978. The couple has two sons (Ahmet Burak, Necmeddin Bilâl) and two daughters (Esra, Sümeyye). Erdoğan gave a speech in New York on 19 December 2006 in which he talked mainly about the good relations between citizens of Turkey who come from different backgrounds by giving an example from his own life. Erdoğan's first grandson was born in 2006.
Honors and accolades
Awards
On January 29, 2004, Erdoğan received the Profiles of Courage Award from the American Jewish Committee, for promoting peace between cultures.
On April 18, 2004, Erdoğan was listed in Time magazine's "100 most influential people in the world" and was called a builder of bridges by the magazine.
On June 13, 2004, Erdoğan received the Golden Plate award from the Academy of Achievement during the conference in Chicago.
On December 1, 2004, Erdoğan was named European of the Year by the weekly European Voice, for having put Turkey on the path to reform.
On September 2, 2005, Erdoğan received the Mediterranean Award for Institutions (Italian: Premio Mediterraneo Istituzioni). This was awarded by the Fondazione Mediterraneo.
On June 1, 2006, Erdoğan received a Russian state medal from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
On August 8, 2006, Erdoğan received the Caspian Energy Integration Award from the Caspian Integration Business Club.
On November 1, 2006, Erdoğan received Outstanding Service award from the Turkish humanitarian organization Red Crescent.
On February 2, 2007, Erdoğan received the Dialogue Between Cultures Award from the President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev.
On March 12, 2007, Erdoğan received together with the Spanish prime minister Zapatero the 2007 RUMI Peace and Dialogue award.
On April 15, 2007, Erdoğan received the Crystal Hermes Award from the German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the opening of the Hannover Industrial Fair.
On June 14, 2007, Erdoğan received the Turkish Leader of the Year Award from the mediagroup Imedya.
On July 11, 2007, Erdoğan received the highest award of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the Agricola Medal, in recognition of his contribution to agricultural and social development in Turkey.
On January 15, 2008, Erdoğan received together with the Spanish prime minister Zapatero the Building Bridges Award from the AMSS(UK), for their efforts to unify communities separated by race, culture and religion, for promoting a climate of respect, and peaceful co-existence through launching the Alliance of Civilizations project.
On May 11, 2009, Erdoğan received the Avicenna award from the Avicenna Foundation in Frankfurt, Germany.
On June 9, 2009, Erdoğan was the honor guest of 20th Crans Montana Forum in Brussels and received the Prix de la Fondation, for democracy and freedom.
On October 26, 2009, the Government of Pakistan awarded Erdoğan the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian award in Pakistan.
On December 29, 2009, Erdoğan received the Award for Contribution to World Peace from the Turgut Özal Thought and Move Association.
On January 12, 2010, Erdoğan won the King Faisal International Prize for "service to Islam" from the King Faisal Foundation.
On February 23, 2010, Erdoğan received the Nodo Culture Award from the mayor of Seville for his efforts to launch the Alliance of Civilizations initiative.
On March 1, 2010, Erdoğan won the United Nations–HABITAT award in memorial of Rafik Hariri. A seven member international jury unanimously found Erdoğan deserving the award because of his “excellent achievement and commendable conduct in the area of leadership, statesmanship and good governance. Erdoğan also initiated the first roundtable of mayors during the Istanbul conference, which led to a global, organized movement of mayors.
On April 29, 2010, Erdoğan was listed for the second time in Time magazine's "100 most influential people in the world".
On May 17, 2010, Georgia's president awarded Erdoğan the Order of Golden Fleece for his contribution to development of bilateral relations.
On May 27, 2010, Erdogan received a medal of honor from the Brazilian Federation of Industry for the State of São Paulo (FIESP) for his contributions to industry
On May 31, 2010, the World Health Organization awarded Erdoğan the 2010 World No Tobacco Award for "his dedicated leadership on tobacco control in Turkey.
On June 29, 2010, Erdoğan received the 2010 World Family Award from the World Family Organization which operates under the umbrella of the United Nations.
On November 4, 2010, Erdoğan received the Golden Medal of Independence, an award conferred upon Kosovo citizens and foreigners that have contributed to the independence of Kosovo.
On November 25, 2010, Erdoğan received the "Leader of the Year" award presented by the Union of Arab Banks in Lebanon.
On November 29, 2010, Erdoğan was invited as guest of honor at the 3rd EU-Africa Summit in Libya, where he is given the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights.
On January 11, 2011, Erdoğan was presented with the "Outstanding Personality in the Islamic World Award" of the Sheikh Fahad al-Ahmad International Award for Charity in Kuwait.
On February 2, 2011, Kyrgyzstan's president decorated Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the Danaker Order in Bishkek.
Honorary doctorates
On January 26, 2004, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from St. John's University.
On April 3, 2004, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the Crimean State University.
On May 18, 2006, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
On July 20, 2006, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorates from Girne American University.
On March 29, 2008, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sarajevo.
On October 15, 2008, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the Fatih University.
On July 4, 2009, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Maltepe University.
On July 4, 2009, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the Istanbul University.
On August 22, 2009, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the University of Aleppo.
On April 16, 2010, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from the Islamic University of Gaza.
On May 18, 2010, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from European University of Madrid.
On June 12, 2010, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Black Sea Technical University.
On October 2, 2010, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Piri Reis University.
On October 31, 2010, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Harran University.
On November 4, 2010, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from University of Prishtina.
On January 25, 2011, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Taras Shevchenko University.
On March 16, 2011, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Moscow State University.
On March 21, 2011, Erdoğan received an honorary doctorate from Umm al-Qura University.
Honorary citizenship
Erdoğan received honorary citizenship of Seoul in February 2004.
Erdoğan received honorary citizenship of Tehran in February 2009.
Erdoğan received honorary citizenship of Prizren in November 2010.
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