Meet Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sold water, bread on streets, was close to joining this football club, his one move changed country's political system, it was...

When there had been heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, Turkey had made the headlines during those periods mainly because of its President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan is Turkey's most prominent politician, and currently in office for more than two decades after serving as Prime Minister between 2003 and 2014 before taking up the Presidency. Gradually, he transformed the political structure of Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system, thus increasing his powers.

When Erdogan first came to power, big changes were to be brought about in politics, the economy, and society. He himself soon began using his powers to supress opposition, which made him politically stronger. Turkey had previously had a powerful army, which was also engaged in national politics. 

A Tough Childhood

Erdogan was born in a poor conservative Muslim family in the town of Güneysu. His family moved to Istanbul in hopes for better days when he was 13. He did not have an easy time as his fiather used to earn less. Erdogan used to sell water, postcards, and bread in the streets in order to make ends meet for his family. His father gave him a weekly stipend of 2.5 Turkish lira.

For some time, he even fantasised about being a footballer before entering politics. He was a street vendor selling simit dressed in a white robe. In his young years, he even played semi-professional football in Camialtıspor FC, which is a local team. As per reports, he asserted that twice Turkish football club Fenerbahce S.K. attempted to sign him, but he rejected their offers twice.

Early Political Life

He ran for election to the position of Mayor of Istanbul on the Welfare Party ticket in 1994.  

Following his release from jail in 1999, Erdogan returned to political life. After his mentor's Virtue Party was closed down in 2001, he defected from religious extremism and formed his own Justice and Development Party (AKP). Erdogan was initially disqualified from being elected prime minister due to his previous conviction, even though his party won the 2002 election in a landslide. He was sworn in on May 14 after winning a by-election in 2003.

He removed the ban on girls wearing hijab in Turkish schools in 2008. Erdogan pushed back at criticism from the military and extremists in 2008 by staging a referendum that increased the authority of the government through appointments to the judiciary and subordinated the military to the judiciary, even though his party faced being banned.

Erdogn returned to power for the third time in June 2011. He had tried to introduce a presidential system but did not have the two-thirds majority in parliament to make constitutional changes. Turkey's first direct presidential election was held in 2014, which Erdogan won. 

After winning the second term as president in April 2017, Erdogan eliminated the Prime Minister position and declared the presidency office to be the head of government by referendum. Yet today Turkey is suffering from extremely serious economic issues like death of the Turkish lira and hyperinflation.