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Ten Reasons Why Erdogan Welcomes the Protests

A lighter look at the demonstrations in Turkey.
A mask is placed on a pole at Taksim square in Istanbul June 5, 2013. Turkish trade unionists banging drums and trailing banners marched into an Istanbul square on Wednesday, joining unprecedented protests against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan over what they see as his authoritarian rule.  REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX10CQD

The demonstrations and protests against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to uproot trees from Taksim, the main square in Istanbul, to make way for one more shopping mall have continued unabated. 

Assumptions have been made by pundits and observers that these represent a major setback for Erdogan. But, really, are they?

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