Erdogan's Turkey - 2018
In the past five years, the Turkish people have experienced six elections, an attempted coup, two years under a state of emergency, and a referendum followed by the establishment of a presidential regime. Recently re-elected for five years as head of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan now holds full power.Turkey is a key geostrategic player in global relations. There is constant talk of its involvement in the war in Syria, the conflict in the Southeast between the PKK rebels and the Turkish army, the influx of migrants onto its soil, and the massive purges that followed the failed putsch of July 15, 2016. Turkey has become infamous for its 157th place out of 180 in the world press freedom index. Human rights are violated and economic inflation is severely rampant. Faced with the instability of its country, Turkish society is becoming increasingly polarized.
The opposition blames the Turkish president for the decline in freedoms. In the aftermath of the failed military coup attempt, Recep Tayyip Erdogan implemented the State of Emergency in Turkey, a facade to stifle dissent. A real policy of repression has followed. Intellectuals, judges, lawyers, journalists, and human rights activists are condemned and relayed as terrorists.
Some criticize an authoritarian regime in the service of one man, while others adore this charismatic and paternalistic figure. Erdogan has set himself up as the protector of a more religious and conservative part of the nation, excluded from the politics of Kemalist elites.
Fervent supporters of the AKP party, which has been in power in Turkey since 2002 and was founded by Erdogan, appreciate the Turkish president's closeness to his electorate. They believe that under the policy of this government more privileges are given to them. In particular, they welcome the investments in transportation and the improvements in the health care sector.
This photographic series is made up of fragments of shots from various news reports put together. It gives a glimpse of the impact of political and economic upheaval on Turkish society today. The cleavages that are forming and the resulting diversity of positions.
This project was supported by The Vocatio Grant.