The fury of an old narrative scorned
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by İrem Köker
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 01, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government is used to being praised by foreign observers, media and international bodies, but the situation seems to be changing. An article in the latest issue of weekly Economist, which labels Erdoğan as ’autocratic’ triggers a debate, as the PM criticizes foreign media.
Foreign observers, media and international organizations are becoming more critical of Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan, after a long period praising him since he took power in 2002.
Answering a wave of critisism coming from the international media, Erdoğan accused Saturday foreign observers of projecting a mistaken image of his ruling Justice and Development Party, or the AKP.
The world's leading media organizations, including Newsweek, the New York Times, the Economist and Reuters, have joined the international institutions such as the European Union in questioning Erdoğan's democratic credentials.
The shift in the attitude follows that of their Turkish colleagues, who have been expressing their concerns for much longe. Such concerns were long ignored by the international media, while they found loud repercussions in the local press. Lifting the headscarf ban without seeking consensus, police violence against thousands of union members who wanted to celebrate May Day this year, a sluggish reform process, Erdoğan's boycott call on media groups and the corruption allegations surrounded the ruling party and his attitude that underestimates the global credit crisis were just a few topics that were long ignored by the foreign media.
The international media have now begun to question Erdoğan's attitude and have criticized him for moving in the direction of an autocrat rather than a democrat.
"Mr Erdoğan appears increasingly autocratic and out of touch. And because he lacks any credible political opponents, either within or beyond the AKP, this is making Turkey look stagnant and adrift Ğ and further away from EU membership than ever," the Economist wrote in an article in this week's issue.
Reuters news agency published an analysis Friday, saying critics accused Erdoğan of "becoming increasingly autocratic". Reuters was among the first media organizations to identify the AKP as a center-right party despite its Islamist credentials and to call its leadership as "ex-Islamist". This came at a time when the AKP was accused of holding an Islamist agenda by opponents, as it attempted to lift the headscarf ban in universities.
Newsweek wrote recently there was a danger Erdoğan might follow an approach similar to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in his fight with the owner of Turkey's largest media group, Aydin Doğan. "They are making unbelievable analyses. Those who do not know politics, who do not understand politics, who don't even intermingle with citizens are making analyses," said Erdoğan in a meeting convened to review AKP policies. "They say I am angry. I am telling the truth. My citizens will not believe these analyses," he said.
International media, have long praised Erdoğan and his party for the economic boom, while criticizing the efforts of the opposition to block the prime minister running for presidency, as well as of having his party banned.
They criticized Erdoğan opponents of being "staunchly secular" and resistant to change. Some believe Erdoğan was forced to bring himself in line with the military, especially on his approach to the Kurdish issue. Some are still trying to find excuses for the prime minister's attitude, just as many so-called liberals in the country do.
Answering a wave of critisism coming from the international media, Erdoğan accused Saturday foreign observers of projecting a mistaken image of his ruling Justice and Development Party, or the AKP.
The world's leading media organizations, including Newsweek, the New York Times, the Economist and Reuters, have joined the international institutions such as the European Union in questioning Erdoğan's democratic credentials.
The shift in the attitude follows that of their Turkish colleagues, who have been expressing their concerns for much longe. Such concerns were long ignored by the international media, while they found loud repercussions in the local press. Lifting the headscarf ban without seeking consensus, police violence against thousands of union members who wanted to celebrate May Day this year, a sluggish reform process, Erdoğan's boycott call on media groups and the corruption allegations surrounded the ruling party and his attitude that underestimates the global credit crisis were just a few topics that were long ignored by the foreign media.
The international media have now begun to question Erdoğan's attitude and have criticized him for moving in the direction of an autocrat rather than a democrat.
"Mr Erdoğan appears increasingly autocratic and out of touch. And because he lacks any credible political opponents, either within or beyond the AKP, this is making Turkey look stagnant and adrift Ğ and further away from EU membership than ever," the Economist wrote in an article in this week's issue.
Reuters news agency published an analysis Friday, saying critics accused Erdoğan of "becoming increasingly autocratic". Reuters was among the first media organizations to identify the AKP as a center-right party despite its Islamist credentials and to call its leadership as "ex-Islamist". This came at a time when the AKP was accused of holding an Islamist agenda by opponents, as it attempted to lift the headscarf ban in universities.
Newsweek wrote recently there was a danger Erdoğan might follow an approach similar to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in his fight with the owner of Turkey's largest media group, Aydin Doğan. "They are making unbelievable analyses. Those who do not know politics, who do not understand politics, who don't even intermingle with citizens are making analyses," said Erdoğan in a meeting convened to review AKP policies. "They say I am angry. I am telling the truth. My citizens will not believe these analyses," he said.
International media, have long praised Erdoğan and his party for the economic boom, while criticizing the efforts of the opposition to block the prime minister running for presidency, as well as of having his party banned.
They criticized Erdoğan opponents of being "staunchly secular" and resistant to change. Some believe Erdoğan was forced to bring himself in line with the military, especially on his approach to the Kurdish issue. Some are still trying to find excuses for the prime minister's attitude, just as many so-called liberals in the country do.