143-416: [REDACTED] Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which he co-founded in 2001. He also served as mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. Erdoğan was born in Beyoğlu , Istanbul , and studied at
286-722: A by-election in Siirt in 2003. Erdoğan led the AKP to two more election victories in 2007 and 2011 . His tenure consisted of economic recovery from the economic crisis of 2001 , the start of EU membership negotiations , and the reduction of military influence on politics . In late 2012, his government began peace negotiations with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to end the Kurdish–Turkish conflict , negotiations which ended three years later. In 2014, Erdoğan became
429-497: A pan-Turkish activist of the early 20th century. This version included an additional stanza in the beginning, its first two verses reading "The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets / The minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers...." Under article 312/2 of the Turkish penal code his recitation was regarded by the judge as an incitement to violence and religious or racial hatred. In his defense, Erdoğan said that
572-609: A 29 April rally in Istanbul, tens of thousands at separate protests on 4 May in Manisa and Çanakkale , and one million in İzmir on 13 May. The stage of the elections of 2007 was set for a fight for legitimacy in the eyes of voters between his government and the CHP. Erdoğan used the event that took place during the ill-fated Presidential elections a few months earlier as a part of the general election campaign of his party. On 22 July 2007,
715-526: A ban on 30 July 2008, a year after winning 46.7% of the vote in national elections, although judges did cut the party's public funding by 50%. In the June 2011 elections, Erdoğan's governing party won 327 seats (49.83% of the popular vote) making Erdoğan the only prime minister in Turkey's history to win three consecutive general elections, each time receiving more votes than the previous election. The second party,
858-565: A broader category of Georgians as no official Soviet census asked about religion. In independent Georgia, censuses do not include an "Adjarian" category, nor do they distinguish between ethnic Georgian Muslims and other Muslims, such as Azerbaijanis . Ethnic minorities include Laz , Russians , Armenians , Pontic Greeks , and Abkhaz . Religion in Adjara After Adjara was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1878 under
1001-423: A constitutional reform package. The reform package was first vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer . Then he applied to the Turkish constitutional court about the reform package, because the president is unable to veto amendments for the second time. The Turkish constitutional court did not find any problems in the packet and 68.95% of the voters supported the constitutional changes. The reforms consisted of electing
1144-632: A courageous step to resolve chronic issues that constitute an obstacle along Turkey's development, progression and empowerment." Erdoğan passed a partial amnesty to reduce penalties faced by many members of the Kurdish guerrilla movement PKK who had surrendered to the government. On 23 November 2011, during a televised meeting of his party in Ankara, he apologized on behalf of the state for the Dersim massacre , where many Alevis and Zazas were killed. In 2013
1287-636: A crackdown on opposition, with dozens being injured as a result of clashes between protesters and police in the southern Adjaran village of Gonio in January 2004. Soon after his inauguration as president in January 2004, Saakashvili took aim at Abashidze with strong anticorruption reforms. In the wake of Abashidze's visit to Moscow , the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on January 20 backing Abashidze's policy and condemning his opposition as "extremist forces". In spring 2004,
1430-449: A crime, therefore we do not need to apologise ... It will not have any benefit other than stirring up trouble, disturbing our peace and undoing the steps which have been taken." In 2011, Erdoğan ordered the tearing-down of the 33-meter-tall (108 ft) Monument to Humanity , a Turkish–Armenian friendship monument in Kars , which was commissioned in 2006 and represented a metaphor of
1573-615: A definitive split took place: the followers of Necmettin Erbakan founded the Felicity Party (SP) and the reformers founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP) under the leadership of Abdullah Gül and Erdoğan. The pro-reform politicians realized that a strictly Islamic party would never be accepted as a governing party by the state apparatus and they believed that an Islamic party did not appeal to more than about 20 percent of
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#17327796907441716-483: A draft proposal by the ministry of education was approved by Erdoğan, in which the curriculum for schools excluded the teaching of the theory of evolution of Charles Darwin by 2019. From then on the teaching will be postponed and start at undergraduate level. President of Turkey The president of Turkey , officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı ),
1859-464: A five-year term. The president of Turkey is referred to as Cumhurbaşkanı ("Republic leader"), and previously archaically as Cumhurreisi or Reis-i Cumhur , also meaning "head of the republic/people". Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the 12th and current president of Turkey, who has held the office since 28 August 2014. The office of the President was established with the proclamation of
2002-559: A key player in shaping regional dynamics and promoting stability and prosperity in the broader neighborhood. Article 101, Section 1 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for holding the presidency. To serve as president, one must: If a presidential candidate is a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly , they must resign their seat due to separation of powers. The principles regarding
2145-674: A major crisis in Adjara erupted as the central government sought to reimpose its authority on the region. It led to several encounters between Abashidze's paramilitaries and the Georgian army . However, Saakashvili's ultimate and mass protests in Batumi against Abashidze's autocratic rule forced the Adjaran leader to resign in May 2004. Facing charges of embezzlement and murder, Abashidze destroyed
2288-581: A majority of 58%. In 2009, Prime Minister Erdoğan's government announced a plan to help end the quarter-century-long Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict that had cost more than 40,000 lives. The government's plan, supported by the European Union , intended to allow the Kurdish language to be used in all broadcast media and political campaigns, and restored Kurdish names to cities and towns that had been given Turkish ones . Erdoğan said, "We took
2431-465: A new election for 9 February 2003 . By this time, party leader Erdoğan was able to run for parliament due to a legal change made possible by the opposition Republican People's Party. The AKP duly listed Erdoğan as a candidate for the rescheduled election, which he won, becoming Prime Minister after Gül handed over the post. On 14 April 2007, an estimated 300,000 people marched in Ankara to protest against
2574-477: A number of issues such as the right of individuals to appeal to the highest court, the creation of the ombudsman 's office; the possibility to negotiate a nationwide labour contract; gender equality; the ability of civilian courts to convict members of the military; the right of civil servants to go on strike; a privacy law; and the structure of the Constitutional Court . The referendum was agreed by
2717-528: A party that could operate within the limits of the system, and thus not getting banned as its predecessors like National Order Party , National Salvation Party and Welfare Party . They wanted to give the group the character of an ordinary conservative party with its members being Muslim Democrats following the example of the Europe's Christian Democrats . When the Virtue Party was also banned in 2001,
2860-577: A percentage of annual GDP declined from 74% in 2002 to 39% in 2009. In 2012, Turkey had a lower ratio of public debt to GDP than 21 of 27 members of the European Union and a lower budget deficit to GDP ratio than 23 of them. In 2003, Erdoğan's government pushed through the Labor Act, a comprehensive reform of Turkey's labor laws. The law greatly expanded the rights of employees, establishing a 45-hour workweek and limiting overtime work to 270 hours
3003-403: A presidential candidate for their party. However, they can also decide not to run as a candidate and contribute to the process of nominating other individuals. From 1961 until 2017, Turkish presidents were required to sever all relations, if any, with their political party. This convention existed to ensure the president's impartiality in presiding over the Turkish constitutional system. However,
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#17327796907443146-464: A rank of 153 out of a total of 179 countries in 2021. Freedom House reported a slight recovery in later years and awarded Turkey a Press Freedom Score of 55/100 in 2012 after a low point of 48/100 in 2006. In 2011, Erdoğan's government made legal reforms to return properties of Christian and Jewish minorities which were seized by the Turkish government in the 1930s. The total value of the properties returned reached $ 2 billion (USD). Under Erdoğan,
3289-491: A record low of 1.17%, below those of nine EU member countries and Russia. In 2002, the Turkish Central Bank had $ 26.5 billion in reserves. This amount reached $ 92.2 billion in 2011. During Erdoğan's leadership, inflation fell from 32% to 9.0% in 2004. Since then, Turkish inflation has continued to fluctuate around 9% and is still one of the highest inflation rates in the world. The Turkish public debt as
3432-479: A regular state school. That he eventually received a high school diploma from this school is a subject of debate. According to his official biography, Erdoğan subsequently studied business administration at the Aksaray School of Economics and Commercial Sciences ( Turkish : Aksaray İktisat ve Ticaret Yüksekokulu ), now known as Marmara University 's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. Both
3575-489: A series of disputes with UCG in 1997 concerning limits of Abashidze's power in Adjara and defections of his party deputies to UCG led Abashidze to view the UCG and especially its 'reformists' faction with suspicions and he withdrew into opposition, establishing a powerful anti-CUG bloc which took part in the 1999 Georgian parliamentary election and garnered around 25 per cent of the vote. In 2000, by withdrawing his candidacy from
3718-421: A shadow like genocide". US President Barack Obama called for a "full, frank and just acknowledgement of the facts", but again stopped short of labelling it "genocide", despite his campaign promise to do so. During Erdoğan's time as Prime Minister, the far-reaching powers of the 1991 Anti-Terror Law were reduced. In 2004, the death penalty was abolished for all circumstances. The Democratic initiative process
3861-511: A special mass in St. Peter's Basilica marking the centenary of the events, described atrocities against Armenian civilians in 1915–1922 as "the first genocide of the 20th century". In protest, Erdoğan recalled the Turkish ambassador from the Vatican, and summoned the Vatican's ambassador, to express "disappointment" at what he called a discriminatory message. He later stated "we don't carry a stain or
4004-656: A statement in nine languages (including two dialects of Armenian), offering condolences for the mass killings of Armenians and stating that the events of 1915 had inhumane consequences. The statement described the mass killings as the two nations' shared pain and said: "Having experienced events which had inhumane consequences – such as relocation – during the First World War, (it) should not prevent Turks and Armenians from establishing compassion and mutually humane attitudes among one another." Pope Francis in April 2015, at
4147-428: A vast mosque on a mountaintop near this village. The family returned to Istanbul when Erdoğan was 13 years old. As a teenager, Erdoğan's father provided him with a weekly allowance of 2.5 Turkish lira, less than a dollar. With it, Erdoğan bought postcards and resold them on the street. He sold bottles of water to drivers stuck in traffic. Erdoğan also worked as a street vendor selling simit (sesame bread rings), wearing
4290-463: A white gown and selling the simit from a red three-wheel cart with the rolls stacked behind glass. In his youth, Erdoğan played semi-professional football in Camialtıspor FC, a local club. Fenerbahçe wanted him to transfer to the club but his father prevented it. The stadium of the local football club in the district where he grew up, Kasımpaşa S.K. is named after him. Erdoğan is a member of
4433-508: A year, provided legal protection against discrimination due to sex, religion, or political affiliation, prohibited discrimination between permanent and temporary workers, entitled employees terminated without "valid cause" to compensation, and mandated written contracts for employment arrangements lasting a year or more. Erdoğan increased the budget of the Ministry of Education from 7.5 billion lira in 2002 to 34 billion lira in 2011,
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4576-509: Is Muslim, the rest includes atheists, adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church and others. In the main city, Batumi , out of 152,839 inhabitants, 68.7% is Eastern Orthodox Christian , and they primarily adhere to the national Georgian Orthodox Church . Muslims make up 25.3% of population, while there are also Catholic , Armenian Apostolic , Jehovah's Witness, Seventh-day Adventist , and Jewish communities. In
4719-474: Is a regular business day of the Grand National Assembly . The president is elected for a term of office of five years and is eligible for one re-election. An exception exists when a president's term ends with a parliamentary decision (i.e., impeachment and removal from office). In this case, the president may be re-elected for an additional term, with the incomplete term not counting against
4862-457: Is convicted by the Court would be removed from office. The provision of this article shall also apply to the offenses for which the president allegedly worked during his term of office. Before the 2017 constitutional referendum , the president was not accountable for its actions and orders, except for impeachment due to high treason . All presidential decrees, except those which the president
5005-470: Is covered by forests. Many parts of the Meskheti Range (the west-facing slopes) are covered by temperate rain forests . Adjara is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude. Adjara is well known for its humid climate (especially along the coastal regions) and prolonged rainy weather, although there is plentiful sunshine during the spring and summer months. Adjara receives
5148-411: Is empowered to enact on his own, had to be signed by the prime minister and the minister concerned, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and other laws. Thus, the prime minister and the concerned ministers were accountable for these decrees, not the president. The decisions and orders signed by the president on his own initiatives may not be appealed to any judicial authority, including
5291-422: Is entitled to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms under conditions of national peace and prosperity and in a spirit of national solidarity and justice, and do my utmost to preserve and exalt the glory and honour of the Republic of Turkey and perform without bias the functions that I have assumed. The inauguration happens in the Grand National Assembly . The oath is broadcast live on TBMM-TV regardless of it
5434-503: Is held on the last Sunday within forty-five days following the day the office is vacant. The president elected in this way continues his duty until the election date of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. For the president who has completed the remaining term, this period is not counted as a term. If the elections are not completed, the current president's office continues until the new one takes office. In
5577-817: Is home to the Adjarians , a regional subgroup of Georgians . The name can be spelled in a number of ways: Ajara , Ajaria , Adjaria , Adzharia , Atchara and Achara . Under the Soviet Union , Adjara was part of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic as the Adjarian ASSR . The autonomous status of Adjara is guaranteed under article 6 of the Treaty of Kars . Adjara was a part of Georgian polities, Colchis and Caucasian Iberia , since ancient times. Colonized by Greeks in
5720-527: Is on the southeastern coast of the Black Sea and extends into the wooded foothills and mountains of the Lesser Caucasus . It has borders with the region of Guria to the north, Samtskhe-Javakheti to the east and Turkey to the south. Most of Adjara's territory either consists of hills or mountains. The highest mountains rise more than 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level . Around 60% of Adjara
5863-591: Is the head of state and head of government of Turkey . The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-in-chief of the Turkish military . The president also heads the National Security Council . The office of the president of Turkey was established with the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye on 29 October 1923, with the first president and founder being Mustafa Kemal Atatürk . Traditionally,
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-489: Is used for the shipment of oil from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan . Its oil refinery handles Caspian oil from Azerbaijan which arrives by pipeline to Supsa port and is transported from there to Batumi by rail. The Adjaran capital is a center for shipbuilding and manufacturing. Adjara is the main center of Georgia's coastal tourism industry, having displaced the northwestern province of Abkhazia since that region's de facto secession from Georgia in 1993. According to
6149-571: The 2007 referendum , the Grand National Assembly would elect one of its members as the President. Before executing the powers of the office, a president is required to recite the presidential Oath of Office , found in Article 103, Section 1 of the Constitution . This is the only component in the inauguration ceremony mandated by the Constitution: In my capacity as President of the Republic, I swear upon my honour and integrity before
6292-507: The 2016 Turkish coup attempt and the following purges . Six thousand additional deaths occurred in Turkey alone for 2015–2022. Yet, as of 2022 the intensity of the PKK-Turkey conflict did decrease in recent years. In the previous decade, Erdogan and the AKP government used anti-PKK, martial rhetoric and external operations to raise Turkish nationalist votes before elections. Erdoğan has said multiple times that Turkey would acknowledge
6435-506: The Aksaray Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences , before working as a consultant and senior manager in the private sector. Becoming active in local politics, he was elected Welfare Party 's Beyoğlu district chair in 1984 and Istanbul chair in 1985. Following the 1994 local elections , Erdoğan was elected mayor of Istanbul. He said at the time: "Democracy is like a train: when we reach our destination, we get off". In 1998 he
6578-781: The Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( Georgian : აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა Ach’aris Avt’onomiuri Resp’ublik’a [atʃʼaris avtʼonomiuri respʼublikʼa] ), is a political-administrative region of Georgia . It is in the country's southwestern corner, on the coast of the Black Sea , near the foot of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, north of Turkey . It is an important tourist destination and includes Georgia's second most populous city of Batumi as its capital. About 350,000 people live on its 2,880 km (1,110 sq mi). Adjara
6721-566: The Community of İskenderpaşa , a Turkish Sufistic community of Naqshbandi tariqah . Erdoğan graduated from Kasımpaşa Piyale Primary School in 1965, and the Istanbul İmam Hatip High School , a religious vocational high school, in 1973. The same educational path was followed by other co-founders of the AK Party . One quarter of the curriculum of İmam Hatip schools involves study of the Quran ,
6864-426: The Constitutional Court . The only accountability the president had was impeachment for high treason on the proposal of at least one-third of the total number of the members of the parliament and by the decision of at least three-fourths of the total number of the members. The Presidential Complex in Ankara is the official residence of the president. It was formally inaugurated as the official residence of
7007-740: The Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1920. The British administration ceded the region to the Democratic Republic of Georgia on July 20, 1920. It was granted autonomy under the Georgian constitution adopted in February 1921 when the Red Army invaded Georgia . Turkey reinvaded Adjara in March 1921, although Georgians defeated Turks in the Battle of Batumi and Ankara 's government ceded
7150-513: The European Union notably on freedom of speech , freedom of the press and Kurdish minority rights . Demands by activists for the recognition of LGBT rights were publicly rejected by government members. Reporters Without Borders reported a continuous decrease in Freedom of the Press during Erdoğan's later terms, with a rank of around 100 on its Press Freedom Index during his first term and
7293-761: The Ottoman Empire invaded Georgia and captured Batumi. On 4 June 1918, the Treaty of Batum was signed, under which Georgia was forced to cede Adjara to the Ottoman Empire. However, due to the Ottoman defeat in the First World War and the Treaty of Mudros , the Ottomans soon withdrew the territory. After the temporary occupation by the British (with the entrance of the British warship HMS Liverpool ) troops in 1918–1920, Adjara became part of
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#17327796907447436-530: The President of Georgia who also has powers to dissolve the assembly and government and to overrule local authorities on issues where the constitution of Georgia is contravened. Tornike Rizhvadze is the current head of the Adjaran government. On 24 October 1997, Adjara became a full member of the Assembly of European Regions (AER). Adjara is subdivided into six administrative units: (2024) Adjara
7579-569: The Treaty of Berlin , those Adjarians who were Muslim were allowed to leave for Turkey. While the Russian authorities supported the Russian Orthodox Church 's missionary efforts, they also tried to win the loyalty of Adjarians by building mosques and madrassas and supporting the local Muslim clergy. As a result, many Adjarians emigrants, called Muhacir , came back to Adjara. Although Adjara's political and religious autonomy
7722-746: The civil war in the country and turned Adjara into the personal fiefdom, although it remained relatively prosperous enclave in an otherwise rather chaotic country. During the 1991–1992 Georgian coup d'état which ousted Gamsakhurdia from power, Abashidze declared a state of emergency in Adjara, closing its borders and shutting down the Adjarian Supreme Soviet. In response to pressure from the Adjarian opposition led by Republican Party of Georgia , Georgia's new leader Eduard Shevardnadze met Aslan Abashidze in Batumi and persuaded him to resume
7865-474: The mass killings of Armenians during World War I as genocide only after a thorough investigation by a joint Turkish-Armenian commission consisting of historians, archaeologists , political scientists and other experts. In 2005, Erdoğan and the main opposition party leader Deniz Baykal wrote a letter to President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan , proposing the creation of a joint Turkish-Armenian commission. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian rejected
8008-533: The presidential elections in Georgia , Abashidze managed to get Shevardnadze to change Georgian constitution to increase Adjara's status. From 1997 to 2001, Abashidze passed several amendments to Adjara's constitution to strengthen his power. He established the post of a directly elected Head of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara with powers to control any movement of military on Adjara's territory, and
8151-413: The 2007 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 ( Anayasa Uzlaşma Komisyonu ). The amendments lacked the two-thirds majority needed to become law instantly, but secured 336 votes in the 550-seat parliament – enough to put the proposals to a referendum. The reform package included
8294-455: The 2014 census, the population of Adjara is 333,953. The Adjarians (Ajars) are an ethnographic group of the Georgian people who speak a group of local dialects known collectively as Adjarian . The written language is Georgian . Adjarians have been known as "Muslim Georgians". They were officially referred as such until the 1926 Soviet census which listed them as "Ajars" and counted 71,000 of them. Later, they were simply classified under
8437-768: The 5th century BC, the region fell under Rome in the 2nd century BC. It became part of the Lazica before being incorporated into the Kingdom of Abkhazia in the 8th century AD, the latter led unification of Georgian monarchy in the 11th century. Andrew the Apostle , who is believed to be a missionary of the Mother of God to Georgia and founder of the Georgian Orthodox Church , entered Georgia from Adjara region and first preached Christianity there. Adjaria
8580-406: The AKP won an important victory over the opposition, garnering 46.7% of the popular vote. 22 July elections marked only the second time in the Republic of Turkey'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 escaped
8723-558: The Articles 104 of the Constitution . The president performs also the duties of selection and appointment, and other duties conferred by the Constitution and statutes. According to the constitutional amendments approved in the 2017 referendum , in the event of a temporary absence of the president on account of illness, travel abroad or similar circumstances, the vice president of Turkey serves as Acting President, and exercises
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#17327796907448866-527: The Assembly, and ten days after its distribution, the report would be discussed on the floor. Upon the approval of two-thirds of the total number of the Assembly by secret vote, the person or persons, about whom the investigation was conducted, may be tried before the Constitutional Court . The trial would be finalized within three months, and if not, a one-time additional period of three months shall be granted. A president about whom an investigation has been initiated may not call for an election . A president who
9009-426: The Assembly, each nominated by the political parties in proportion to their representation therein. The commission would submit its report indicating the outcome of the investigation to the speaker within two months. If the investigation is not completed within this period, the commission's time renewed for another month. Within ten days of its submission to the speaker, the report would be distributed to all members of
9152-423: The CHP, received 19.4% of the votes. The AKP won a landslide victory in the parliament, taking nearly two-thirds of the seats. Erdoğan could not become Prime Minister as he was still banned from politics by the judiciary for his speech in Siirt. Gül 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
9295-401: The Great Turkish Nation and before history to safeguard the existence and independence of the state, the indivisible integrity of the country and the nation, and the absolute sovereignty of the nation, to abide by the Constitution, the rule of law, democracy, the principles and reforms of Atatürk, and the principles of the secular republic, not to deviate from the ideal according to which everyone
9438-493: The Gül government ended his political ban. The elections of 2002 were the first elections in which Erdoğan participated as a party leader. All parties previously elected to parliament failed to win enough votes to re-enter the parliament. The AKP 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 , resigned. The second largest party,
9581-401: The Islamist National Salvation Party (MSP), and was later promoted to chair of the Istanbul youth branch. He held this position until the 1980 military coup which dissolved all major political parties. He went on to be a consultant and senior executive in the private sector in the aftermath of the coup. Three years later, in 1983, Erdoğan followed most of Necmettin Erbakan 's followers into
9724-473: The Pınarhisar prison again for the first time in fourteen years. After the visit, he said "For me, Pınarhisar is a symbol of rebirth, where we prepared the establishment of the Justice and Development Party". Erdoğan was member of political parties that kept getting banned by the army or judges. Within his Virtue Party , there was a dispute about the appropriate discourse of the party between traditional politicians and pro-reform politicians. The latter envisioned
9867-413: The Republican People's Party (CHP), received 135 seats (25.94%), the nationalist MHP received 53 seats (13.01%), and the Independents received 35 seats (6.58%). A US$ 100 billion corruption scandal in 2013 led to the arrests of Erdoğan's close allies, and incriminated Erdoğan. After the opposition parties deadlocked the 2007 presidential election by boycotting the parliament, the ruling AKP proposed
10010-427: The Russians, who have returned to the region in large numbers, also causing anxiety among some locals. The status of the Adjaran Autonomous Republic is defined by Georgia's law on Adjara and the region's new constitution, adopted following the ousting of Aslan Abashidze. The local legislative body is the Supreme Council . The head of the region's government—the Council of Ministers of Adjara—is nominated by
10153-422: The Supreme Soviet sessions in May 1992. However, the opposition failed to oust Abashidze. While Shevardnadze could easily sway certain members of the Adjarian Supreme Soviet against Abashidze, he did not do so. Being brought to power through the coup launched by the militia leaders Jaba Ioseliani and Tengiz Kitovani , Shevardnadze saw Abashidze as a useful counterweight against these warlords. Further exploiting
10296-504: The Turkish economy between 2002 and 2012 caused a growth of 64% in real GDP and a 43% increase in GDP per capita; considerably higher numbers were commonly advertised but these did not account for the inflation of the US dollar between 2002 and 2012. The average annual growth in GDP per capita was 3.6%. The growth in real GDP between 2002 and 2012 was higher than the values from developed countries, but
10439-438: The Turkish electorate. The AK party emphatically placed itself as a broad democratic conservative party with new politicians from the political center (like Ali Babacan and Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu ), while respecting Islamic norms and values, but without an explicit religious program. This turned out to be successful as the new party won 34% of the vote in the general elections of 2002 . Erdoğan became prime minister in March 2003 after
10582-508: The Turkish government tightened the laws on the sale and consumption of alcohol , banning all advertising and increasing the tax on alcoholic beverages. In 2002, Erdoğan inherited a Turkish economy that was beginning to recover from a recession as a result of reforms implemented by Kemal Derviş . Erdoğan supported Finance Minister Ali Babacan in enforcing macro-economic policies. Erdoğan tried to attract more foreign investors to Turkey and lifted many government regulations. The cash-flow into
10725-546: The authenticity and status of his degree have been the subject of disputes and controversy over whether the diploma is legitimate and ought to be considered sufficient to make him eligible as a candidate for the presidency. In 1976, Erdoğan engaged in politics by joining the National Turkish Student Union, an anti-communist action group. In the same year, he became head of the Beyoğlu youth branch of
10868-404: The bridges between Adjara and the rest of Georgia to delay the advance of Georgian troops in Batumi and then fled to Moscow. Even Abashidze's former ally, Haji Mahmud Kamashidze, sided with Saakashvili. Saakashvili wanted Adjara to keep a significant autonomy. A new law was therefore introduced to redefine the terms of Adjara's autonomy. Levan Varshalomidze succeeded Abashidze as the chairman of
11011-559: The budgetary and market requirements of the two during his administration and received every loan installment, the only time any Turkish government has done so. Erdoğan inherited a debt of $ 23.5 billion to the IMF, which was reduced to $ 0.9 billion in 2012. He decided not to sign a new deal. Turkey's debt to the IMF was thus declared to be completely paid and he announced that the IMF could borrow from Turkey. In 2010, five-year credit default swaps for Turkey's sovereign debt were trading at
11154-574: The capital, Ankara. Erdoğan governed pragmatically, focusing on bread-and-butter issues. He aimed to tackle the chronic problems plaguing the metropolis, such as water shortage , pollution – waste collection issues in particular – and severely congested traffic. He undertook an infrastructure overhaul: expanding and modernizing the water grid with hundreds of kilometers of new water pipes being laid, and constructing more than fifty bridges, viaducts, and stretches of highway to mitigate traffic. State-of-the-art recycling facilities were built and air pollution
11297-530: The chairman and the president of the Republican People's Party , while Celâl Bayar resigned from the Democrat Party chairmanship when he started his presidency, but continued to be a party member during his presidency. With the 1961 Constitution made after the 1960 coup, it was decided that presidents should cut off any relation with political parties. Evren, who was governing the country as
11440-438: The collectivization reforms. The armed uprising began in the mountainous regions of Adjara in April 1929. Soviet troops were deployed in response and swiftly quelled the revolt. After the Georgian independence, Aslan Abashidze became the chairman of Adjaria's parliament, the Adjarian Supreme Soviet. Abashidze was initially appointed by the first Georgian president Zviad Gamsakhurdia in 1991. However, he later took advantage of
11583-467: The constitutional amendments approved in the referendum, the Grand National Assembly may initiate an investigation of the president, the vice president or any member of the Cabinet upon the proposal of simple majority of its total members, and within a period less than a month, the approval of three-fifths of the total members. The investigation would be carried out by a commission of fifteen members of
11726-626: The country's first directly elected president . Erdoğan's presidency has been marked by democratic backsliding and a shift towards a more authoritarian style of government. His economic policies have led to high inflation rates and the depreciation of the value of the Turkish lira . He has intervened in the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Libya , launched operations against the Islamic State , Syrian Democratic Forces and Assad's forces , and has made threats against Greece . He oversaw
11869-428: The course of the campaign, he was mocked by the mainstream media and treated as a country bumpkin by his opponents. In an upset, he won with 25.19% of the popular vote, making it the first time a mayor of Istanbul got elected from his political party. His win coincided with a wave of Welfare Party victories nationwide, as they won 28 provincial mayoralties - most out of any party - and numerous metropolitan seats, including
12012-490: The district mayoralty of Beyoğlu, finishing in second place with 22.8% of the vote. In the 1991 general election , the Welfare Party more than doubled its share of the vote in Istanbul compared to four years prior, reaching 16.7%. At first, Erdoğan, who led his party's district list, was thought to have been elected to parliament. However, as a product of the open-list proportional representation system adopted during
12155-539: The election of the President are regulated in Article 101 of the Constitution and in the Presidential Election Law. In the election to be held by universal suffrage, the candidate who receives the absolute majority of the valid votes is elected president. If this majority is not achieved in the first round, a runoff is held on the second Sunday following this vote. The two candidates who received
12298-480: The election of the president is held together with the general election of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on the first Sunday following the sixtieth day after the vacancy of the office. In the event that the office of the President becomes vacant for any reason and there is more than one year remaining for the general election of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the presidential election
12441-491: The end of Georgia's civil war, Abashidze reached agreement with the Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze to stay in power. Shevardnadze, who had yet to cement his power in Georgia, ignored Abashidze's authoritarian rule and even appreciated that it brought stability to the region. The central government in Tbilisi had very little say in what went on in Adjara. Elections in Adjara were not free and fair , Abashidze controlled
12584-494: The end of the eighteenth century. The Ottomans were forced to cede Adjara to the expanding Russian Empire in 1878 under the Treaty of Berlin . The Berlin Treaty allowed Adjarians to leave for Turkey, keeping a provision of Section 6, article 21 of the Treaty of San Stefano . Many Adjarians emigrated to Turkey. While the Russian authorities supported the Russian Orthodox Church 's missionary efforts, they also tried to win
12727-447: The event that the Turkish Grand National Assembly decides that it is not possible to hold new elections due to the war, the presidential election is postponed for one year. If the reason for the postponement has not disappeared, this process can be repeated according to the procedure in the postponement decision. 2017 constitutional referendum extended the president's accountability beyond impeachment due to high treason . According to
12870-413: The first round. If only one candidate remains for the second round, this ballot shall be then conducted as a referendum. A presidential candidate receives the majority of the valid votes shall be elected as president. If that candidate fails to receive the majority of the valid votes in the election, the presidential election will be scheduled to be renewed. Before the constitutional amendments approved in
13013-416: The first time in modern Turkish history in 2015. The Turkish government approved a law in 2008 to return properties confiscated in the past by the state to non-Muslim foundations. It also paved the way for the free allocation of worship places such as synagogues and churches to non-Muslim foundations. However, European officials noted a return to more authoritarian ways after the stalling of Turkey's bid to join
13156-513: The first weekend of every August. Horse racing, a folk handicraft exhibition and a concert involving folk ensembles are held as well. Machakhloba is a Machakhela gorge festivity, held in the second half of September. It is a traditional holiday celebrated in Machakhela gorge, Khelvachauri Municipality. The festival begins at the Machakhela rifle monument (at the point of convergence of the rivers Machakhelistskali and Chorokhi ), continues in
13299-591: The government of Erdoğan began a peace process between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish Government, mediated by parliamentarians of the Peoples' Democratic party (HDP). In 2015, following AKP electoral defeat, the rise of a social democrat, pro-Kurdish rights opposition party , and the minor Ceylanpınar incident , he decided that the peace process was over and supported
13442-576: The government. In July 2007, the seat of the Georgian Constitutional Court was moved from Tbilisi to Batumi. In November 2007 Russia ended its two-century military presence in the region by withdrawing from the 12th Military Base (the former 145th Motor Rifle Division) in Batumi. Turkey still has noticeable economic and religious influence in Adjara, making some Georgians wary of the Turkish presence. However, in recent years, Turkish influence has again been supplanted by
13585-469: The group, Erdoğan was distinguished by his oratorical skills, developing a penchant for public speaking and excelling in front of an audience. He won first place in a poetry-reading competition organized by the Community of Turkish Technical Painters, and began preparing for speeches through reading and research. Erdoğan would later comment on these competitions as "enhancing our courage to speak in front of
13728-610: The head of state and the head of the National Security Council after the 1980 coup, was appointed to the Presidency on 7 November 1982, when the constitution was adopted by popular vote, in accordance with the first provisional article of the 1982 Constitution. With the 2007 constitutional amendment referendum, it was decided that the president would be elected by the people, and in the first elections held on 10 August 2014 after this change, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
13871-487: The highest amounts of precipitation both in Georgia and in the Caucasus . It is also one of the wettest temperate regions in the northern hemisphere . No region along Adjara's coast receives less than 2,200 mm (86.6 in) of precipitation per year. The west-facing ( windward ) slopes of the Meskheti Range receive upwards of 4,500 mm (177.2 in) of precipitation per year. The coastal lowlands receive most of
14014-410: The highest share of the national budget given to one ministry. Before his prime ministership the military received the highest share of the national budget. Compulsory education was increased from eight years to twelve. In 2003, the Turkish government, together with UNICEF , initiated a campaign called "Come on girls, [let's go] to school!" ( Turkish : Haydi Kızlar Okula! ). The goal of this campaign
14157-789: The instability, at this time brought by the War in Abkhazia , Abashidze moved to further consolidate his power. During the summer of 1992, Abashidze appointed a seven-member Presidium of the Adjarian Supreme Soviet, made up of his supporters, and ruled by decree through this body. The Supreme Soviet, on the other hand, practically ceased to convene. Abashidze unilaterally took power without formal agreement and started to withhold tax revenue and capture Adjara's considerable wealth. However, he managed to prevent various paramilitary groups from entering Adjara's territory, and preserved peace through authoritarianism , which brought him considerable popularity. After
14300-462: The life of Selim Khimshiashvili . A concert with the participation of local amateur groups of a folk handicraft products exhibition is held during the festival. It is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Adjara. Shuamtoba ("inter-mountain festival") is a traditional festival, which is held on the summer mountain pastures of two municipalities (Khulo and Shuakhevi ), during
14443-600: The life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad , and the Arabic language . Erdoğan studied the Quran at the İmam Hatip, where his classmates began calling him hoca ("teacher" or "religious official"). Erdoğan attended a meeting of the nationalist student group National Turkish Student Union ( Milli Türk Talebe Birliği ), who sought to raise a conservative cohort of young people to counter the rising movement of leftists in Turkey. Within
14586-516: The lowland areas and 17 to 21 °C (63 to 70 °F) in the highlands. The highest areas of Adjara have lower temperatures. Average winter temperatures are between 4 and 6 °C (39 and 43 °F) along the coast while the interior areas and mountains average around −3 to 2 °C (27 to 36 °F). Some of the highest mountains of Adjara have average winter temperatures of −8 to −7 °C (18 to 19 °F). Adjara has good land for growing tea, citrus fruits and tobacco. Mountainous and forested,
14729-421: The loyalty of Adjarians by building mosques and madrassas and supporting the local Muslim clergy. As a result, many Adjarians emigrants, called Muhacir , came back to Adjara. Within Russian imperial administrative division, Adjara was called Batumi okrug , comprising Kutaisi Governorate . In 1918, Georgia regained its independence as a democratic republic and Adjara became part of it. However, in April 1918,
14872-493: The masses". Erdoğan wanted to pursue advanced studies at the Ankara University Faculty of Political Science , commonly known as Mülkiye, but only students with regular high school diplomas were eligible to apply, thereby excluding Imam Hatip graduates. Mülkiye was known for its political science department, which trained many statesmen and politicians in Turkey. Erdoğan was then admitted to Eyüp High School,
15015-1022: The media and captured customs revenue for his personal enrichment. Abashidze instituted the border control with the rest of Georgia and created armed paramilitaries. However, he asserted that Adjara wasn't separatist. His regime survived on receiving funds from the customs control in Sarpi at Georgia–Turkey border , contraband of cigarettes and allegedly also weapons and narcotics, an oil refinery in Batumi and selling of ships stationed in Adjara without Georgian government's approval. Even though Shevardnadze often complained about Abashidze's aggressive autonomous strategy, they had good relationships and supported each other when they needed public support. Initially Abashidze's Democratic Union for Revival and Shevardnadze's Union of Citizens of Georgia worked together in Georgian Parliament and Adjarian Supreme Council following new elections in 1995-1996. However,
15158-399: The most votes in the first ballot participate in this voting and the candidate who receives the majority of the valid votes is elected president. If one of the presidential candidates who gains the right to run for the second round is unable to participate in the election for any reason, the second round shall be conducted by substituting the vacant candidacy in conformity with the ranking in
15301-505: The new president is elected within 45 days. Presidential elections were held in Turkey in May 2023, alongside parliamentary elections , to elect a president for a term of five years. The following timeline depicts the progression of the presidents and their political affiliation at the time of assuming office. Adjara Adjara ( Georgian : აჭარა Ach’ara [at͡ʃʼara] ) or Achara , officially known as
15444-465: The newly founded Welfare Party (RP). The new party, like its predecessors subscribed to Erbakan's strain of Islamism , the National view . He became the party's Beyoğlu district chair in 1984, and head of its Istanbul branch in 1985. Erdoğan entered the parliamentary by-elections of 1986 as a candidate in Istanbul's 6th electoral district, but failed to get elected. Three years later, Erdoğan ran for
15587-529: The number of universities in Turkey nearly doubled, from 98 in 2002 to 186 in October 2012. The Prime Minister kept his campaign promises by starting the Fatih project in which all state schools, from preschool to high school level, received a total of 620,000 smart boards, while tablet computers were distributed to 17 million students and approximately one million teachers and administrators. In June 2017
15730-457: The offer because he asserted that the proposal itself was "insincere and not serious". He added: "This issue cannot be considered at historical level with Turks, who themselves politicized the problem." In December 2008, Erdoğan criticized the I Apologize campaign by Turkish intellectuals to recognize the Armenian genocide, saying, "I neither accept nor support this campaign. We did not commit
15873-534: The original construction of the monument said the municipality was destroying not just a "monument to humanity" but "humanity itself". The demolition was not unopposed; among its detractors were several Turkish artists. Two of them, the painter Bedri Baykam and his associate, Pyramid Art Gallery general coordinator Tugba Kurtulmus, were stabbed after a meeting with other artists at the Istanbul Akatlar cultural center. On 23 April 2014, Erdoğan's office issued
16016-626: The people, gave out his e-mail address and established municipal hot lines. Erdoğan initiated the first roundtable of mayors during the Istanbul conference , which led to a global, organized movement of mayors. A seven-member international jury from the United Nations unanimously awarded Erdoğan the UN-Habitat award. In December 1997 in Siirt , Erdoğan recited a modified version of the " Soldier's prayer " poem written by Ziya Gökalp ,
16159-498: The poem was published in state-approved books. How this version of the poem ended up in a book published by the Turkish Standards Institution remained a topic of discussion. Erdoğan was given a ten-month prison sentence. He was forced to give up his mayoral position due to his conviction. The conviction also stipulated a political ban, which prevented him from participating in elections. He had appealed for
16302-403: The possible candidacy of Erdoğan in the 2007 presidential election, afraid that if elected as president, he would alter the secular nature of the Turkish state. Erdoğan announced on 24 April 2007 that the party had nominated Abdullah Gül as the AKP candidate in the presidential election. The protests continued over the next several weeks, with over one million people reported to have turned out at
16445-420: The powers of the president until the president comes back. If the office of the presidency becomes vacant for any reason, the presidential election shall be held within forty-five days and in the meantime, the vice president shall act as and exercise the powers of the president until the next president is elected. If one year or less remains for the general election, the parliamentary election will be conducted at
16588-518: The precipitation in the form of rain (due to the area's subtropical climate). September and October are usually the wettest months. Batumi's average monthly rainfall for the month of September is 410 mm (16.14 in). The interior parts of Adjara are considerably drier than the coastal mountains and lowlands. Winter usually brings significant snowfall to the higher regions of Adjara, where snowfall often reaches several meters. Average summer temperatures are between 22 to 24 °C (72 to 75 °F) in
16731-418: The presidency was mostly a ceremonial position, with real executive authority being exercised by the prime minister of Turkey . However, constitutional amendments approved in the 2017 constitutional referendum abolished the office of prime minister, and vested the presidency with full executive powers, effective upon the 2018 general election . The president is directly elected by eligible Turkish voters for
16874-533: The presidency's reorientation in 2017 into a chief executive office abolished this convention, given a president's assumption of office as winners of a partisan electoral contest. The presidents of Turkey are widely perceived as regional power due to the country's strategic importance, geopolitical influence, economic and military strength, cultural heritage, and historical ties. Their active engagement in regional diplomacy, mediation efforts, humanitarian assistance, and economic cooperation underscores Turkey's role as
17017-665: The president by Erdoğan on the country's Republic Day , 29 October 2014. From 1923 to 2014, the Çankaya Mansion served as the residence of the presidents. The Presidential State Guesthouse [ tr ] serves as the president's official guest house and as a secondary residence for the president if needed. The Huber Mansion , the Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion and the Vahdettin Pavilion have been used as presidential workplace or as summer residence. The president's duties are stated in
17160-403: The president by popular vote instead of by parliament; reducing the presidential term from seven years to five; allowing the president to stand for re-election for a second term; holding general elections every four years instead of five; and reducing from 367 to 184 the quorum of lawmakers needed for parliamentary decisions. Reforming the Constitution was one of the main pledges of the AKP during
17303-419: The previous term, after all votes expressing a candidate preference were tabulated, it was instead Mustafa Baş who earned the seat allocated to the Welfare Party. A difference of about 4,000 preferential votes separated the two, with Baş's ~13,000 to Erdoğan's ~9,000. In the local elections of 1994 , Erdoğan ran as a candidate for Mayor of Istanbul . He was a young, dark horse candidate in a crowded field. Over
17446-402: The rapprochement of the two countries after many years of dispute over the events of 1915. Erdoğan justified the removal by stating that the monument was offensively close to the tomb of an 11th-century Islamic scholar, and that its shadow ruined the view of that site, while Kars municipality officials said it was illegally erected in a protected area. However, the former mayor of Kars who approved
17589-442: The region has a subtropical climate, and there are many health resorts. Tobacco, tea, citrus fruits, and avocados are leading crops; livestock raising is also important. Industries include tea packing, tobacco processing, fruit and fish canning, oil refining, and shipbuilding. The regional capital, Batumi , is an important gateway for the shipment of goods heading into Georgia, Azerbaijan and landlocked Armenia . The port of Batumi
17732-540: The religion of ancestors prior to the Ottoman conquest. Nevertheless, there still remain Sunni Muslim communities in Adjara, mainly in the Khulo district . The Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs is active in Adjara. According to Ghia Nodia , many Adjarians are Muslims but they consider themselves ethnic Georgians . According to the 2014 census, 54.5% of Adjara's population is Orthodox Christian, while 39.8%
17875-443: The republic on 29 October 1923. In the voting held on the same day, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was unanimously elected as the first president. From this date until 2014, all presidents except Kenan Evren were elected by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Among the former presidents, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, İsmet İnönü and Celâl Bayar served as presidents affiliated with a political party. Atatürk and İnönü continued to serve as both
18018-507: The revocation of the parliamentary immunity of the HDP parliamentarians. Violent confrontation resumed in 2015–2017, mainly in the South East of Turkey, resulting in higher death tolls and several external operations on the part of the Turkish military. Representatives and elected HDP have been systematically arrested, removed, and replaced in their offices, this tendency being confirmed after
18161-415: The same time. If more than a year remains, the newly elected president will continue to serve until the next general election. Before the constitutional amendments approved in the 2017 referendum , the speaker of the Grand National Assembly served as Acting President in cases where the presidency is temporarily or permanently vacant and exercises presidential powers until the president returns to duty or
18304-712: The second largest Kobuleti Municipality , 65.1% of the population in Orthodox Christian, while 28.8% is Muslim. Muslims make up majorities mostly in the mountainous districts, they make up 94.6% of the population in Khulo Municipality , 74.4% in Shuakhevi Municipality , 62.1% in Keda Municipality and 56.3% Khelvachauri Municipality . Selimoba is held in the village of Bako, Khulo Municipality on June 3 and commemorates
18447-483: The sentence to be converted to a monetary fine, but it was reduced to four months instead (24 March 1999 to 27 July 1999). He was transferred to Pınarhisar prison in Kırklareli . The day Erdoğan went to prison, he released an album called This Song Doesn't End Here . The album features a tracklist of seven poems and became the best-selling album of Turkey in 1999, selling over one million copies. In 2013, Erdoğan visited
18590-599: The territory to Georgia under Article VI of Treaty of Kars on the condition that autonomy be provided for the Muslim population, while Turkish commodities were guaranteed free transit through the port of Batumi . The Soviets established in 1921 the Adjarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in accord with this clause, thus Adjara remained part of Georgia. The autonomous republic
18733-483: The transformation of Turkey's parliamentary system into a presidential system , introducing term limits and expanding executive powers, and Turkey's migrant crisis . Erdoğan responded to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine by closing the Bosphorus to Russian naval reinforcements, brokering a deal between Russia and Ukraine regarding the export of grain, and mediating a prisoner exchange. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
18876-419: The two-term limit. The term of the incumbent president continues until the president-elect takes office. Before the constitutional amendment approved in the 2007 referendum , the president used to be elected for a single seven-year term. In the event that the office of the President becomes vacant for any reason and there is one year or less before the general election of the Turkish Grand National Assembly,
19019-701: Was born on 26 February 1954 in a poor conservative Muslim family. Erdoğan's family is originally from Adjara , a region in Georgia . Although Erdoğan was reported to have said in 2003 that he was of Georgian origin and that his origins were in Batumi , he later denied this. His parents were Ahmet Erdoğan (1905–1988) and Tenzile Erdoğan ( née Mutlu; 1924–2011). While Erdoğan attended school in Istanbul, his summer holidays were mostly spent in Güneysu , Rize, where his family originates from. Throughout his life he often returned to this spiritual home, and in 2015 he opened
19162-424: Was close to average when developing countries are also taken into account. The ranking of the Turkish economy in terms of GDP moved slightly from 17 to 16 during this decade. A major consequence of the policies between 2002 and 2012 was the widening of the current account deficit from US$ 600 million to US$ 58 billion (2013 est.) Since 1961, Turkey has signed 19 IMF loan accords. Erdoğan's government satisfied
19305-414: Was convicted for inciting religious hatred and banned from politics after reciting a poem by Ziya Gökalp that compared mosques to barracks and the faithful to an army. Erdoğan was released from prison in 1999 and formed the AKP, abandoning openly Islamist policies. Erdoğan led the AKP to a landslide victory in the election for the Grand National Assembly in 2002, and became prime minister after winning
19448-564: Was elected on this position in November 2001 while being the only candidate. The situation changed following the Rose Revolution of 2003 when Shevardnadze was deposed in favor of the reformist opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili . Adjaran leader Aslan Abashidze , being in strong opposition to the Rose Revolution , declared a state of emergency immediately after Eduard Shevardnadze 's ousting on 23 November 2003. He intensified
19591-522: Was elected president by the people. The president, who is the head of state, is also the head of government after the 2017 constitutional amendment referendum. As head of state , the president represents the Turkish government to its own people, and represents the nation to the rest of the world. Insulting the head of state is prohibited by Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code . Leaders of political parties are generally expected to run as
19734-513: Was guaranteed by the 1921 Treaty of Kars , the Soviet atheist ideology dampened religious practice in the region. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the re-establishment of Georgia's independence first led to an Islamic revival . However, later Christianity has experienced a strong growth in Adjara, especially among the young, which saw the conversion to Christianity as returning to
19877-649: Was initiated, with the goal to improve democratic standards in general and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in particular. In 2012, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey and the Ombudsman Institution were established. The UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture was ratified. Children are no longer prosecuted under terrorism legislation. The Jewish community were allowed to celebrate Hanukkah publicly for
20020-597: Was occupied by several empires: the First Persian Empire (500 BC), Seljuks (11th century), Mongols (13th century), and Timurids (14th century). The Ottomans conquered the area in 1614. Although, the Ottoman millet system allowed its subjects extensive self-governance and religious freedom , many Adjarians gradually chose to convert to Islam during the 200 years of Ottoman presence. The nobility converted first. Adjarians were fully Islamized by
20163-399: Was reduced through a plan to switch to natural gas. He changed the public buses to environmentally friendly ones. He took precautions to prevent corruption, using measures to ensure that municipal funds were used prudently. He paid back a major portion of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality 's two-billion-dollar debt and invested four billion dollars in the city. He also opened up City Hall to
20306-582: Was the only autonomous unit in the USSR based solely on religion. However, Stalin's definition of what constituted a nation was based on language. Without their own language, Adjars did not develop a strong sense of national identity, separate from Georgian. Moreover, the Soviet atheist ideology dampened religious practice. In the 1920s, the Ajars rebelled against the Soviet anti-Islamic activities, as well as against
20449-466: Was to close the gender gap in primary school enrollment through the provision of a quality basic education for all girls, especially in southeast Turkey. In 2005, the parliament granted amnesty to students expelled from universities before 2003. The amnesty applied to students dismissed on academic or disciplinary grounds. In 2004, textbooks became free of charge and since 2008 every province in Turkey has its own university. During Erdoğan's Premiership,
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