Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to be like a king

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The president stands inside the Ak Saray presidential palace (White Palace) on the outskirts of Ankara, Turkey
The president stands inside the Ak Saray presidential palace (White Palace) on the outskirts of Ankara, Turkey

Despite living in the world’s biggest residential palace that cost £384 million ( $580 million) , Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insists he is not seeking to be a sultan, but more like the British Queen.

The Turkish president referred to the UK as an example for Turkey to follow as he explained that changes to the role of the president would not alter the Turkish republic’s democracy.

“In my opinion, even the UK is a semi-presidency. And the dominant constituent is the Queen,” Mr Erdoğan told Turkish state broadcaster, TRT.

The UK has a constitutional monarchy in which parliament decides and makes laws and the Queen’s role is largely ceremonial.

Mr Erdoğan’s comments, reported in Hurriyet Daily News, included an attack on those who said Turkey was becoming like a monarchy and that he aspired to be like an Ottoman sultan despite other countries also having presidents.

“Look, is there a ‘padishah system’ in the US at the moment? When it is the USA, it is not a padishah system; when it is Brazil, it is not a padishah system; when it is South Korea, it is not a padishah system, when it is Mexico, it is not a padishah system. Why is it only a padishah system when an idea like this is floated in Turkey?”

Padishah refers to the formal title used for Ottoman sultans during the empire. Those critical of Mr Erdoğan believe he is becoming more authoritarian because of his actions including taking the reins on foreign policy and chairing a cabinet meeting this month.

Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Abdullah Gül – the last two presidents of Turkey – had never chaired a government meeting.

Mr Erdoğan was elected as president in August last year after 11 years as the country’s prime minister – the first time the country directly elected an individual to the post.

His palace is four times the size of Versailles, the palace in which Louis XIV, the “Sun King” of France resided with 1,000 rooms covering a total floor area of 3.1 million square feet.

His comments come after the recent appeal hearing by Armenia represented by Amal Clooney and the Doughty Street Chambers lawyers on Wednesday.

The country believes the denial of the Armenian genocide by Doğu Perinçek was a crime despite the European Court of Human Rights ruling in 2013 that his conviction of racial discrimination was a violation of his Article 10 right to freedom of expression.

Mr Perinçek said the genocide was an “international lie” in Switzerland in 2005 but the country has laws which criminalise denial as racial discrimination and he was found guilty in 2008.

Turkey does not accept it was a genocide and disputes that up to 1.5 million were killed but in his interview, the president said if history “actually reveal[s] that we have committed a crime, if we have a price to pay, then as Turkey we would assess it and take the required steps,” Washington Post reported.
Telegraph.co.uk

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7 responses to “Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to be like a king”

  1. nagy_michael2 Avatar
    nagy_michael2

    The Modern Caliph of Turkey. i hope he rots in hell.

    1. Nagging Nagy Avatar
      Nagging Nagy

      You have way too much hatred in you. Seek some professional help. And NO I am not a Turk.

      1. nagy_michael2 Avatar
        nagy_michael2

        well your name speaks for itself. you must have created your id especially for me. i am honored because you made an id just to harrass me. well i could careless if you are a Turk or not. just see the Erd or in English call Monkey what he always does. he cares only about himself and no i do not have hatred but only for the people who earned it.

      2. nagy_michael2 Avatar
        nagy_michael2

        I guess after the Ottman empire burned the arab cultures, then turkey came to Lebanon and armed the Muslims and disarmed the Christians and caused so many death. And before that the Armenian genocide. then this jackass comes around and play Mr right. And on top of it he doesn’t admit to any genocide. well there is your answer why i hate the S.O.B and whoever sides with him.
        even in the battle of Kobanie he was letting ISIS comes and goes freely and yet he tried very hard not to let the Kurdish fighters go help their fellow fighters in Kobanie until western pressures on him. He even criticized the allies bombing of ISIS. really and you ask me why do i hate toward this guy? what planet do you come from?

  2. 5thDrawer Avatar

    I’m not sure the Queen of England could get half a billion for her palace … maybe the back garden would boost it.
    (the extra 80 million Erdy spent was for grass, I suppose. ;-))
    I’d bet he doesn’t use that ‘grand staircase’ … rides an elevator instead.
    AND, as with too many it seems, obviously doesn’t understand England’s Parliament or System at all.

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