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Erdogan Places Blame for Protests On International Conspiracy

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be better served by focusing on governance, and not blaming foreign or other interests for Turkey’s problems.
Protesters watch a film in Gezi park in Istanbul's Taksim square early June 14, 2013. Turkish protesters said on Friday Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had pledged not to push ahead with plans to redevelop an Istanbul park until a court ruled on the project, in what they heralded as a positive sign after two weeks of protest.  REUTERS/Osman Orsal (TURKEY - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) - RTX10N5E

The international reactions to the latest events in Turkey took Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan much more by surprise than did the outpouring of social anger by elements of society that are increasingly wary of his government’s policies.

Those elements are clearly fed up with what they see as attempts at tampering with Turkey’s secular democracy by an increasingly authoritarian Erdogan, who is believed to be using the 50% of the votes he got in the June 2011 general elections to push an Islamic agenda.

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