The mass protests that have shaken Turkey are certainly a watershed in the country's political history. But they are also liable to be easily misunderstood by many — by Turks themselves and outside observers.
For example, these protests do not imply that a “Turkish Spring” is in the air. The Arab Spring to which this perception alludes was a series of popular uprisings against longtime dictatorships. Massive crowds in Tunisia and Egypt hit the streets to fight for free, fair elections. Yet Turkey has had free and fair elections since 1950, and Erdogan has held power since 2002 by winning those elections with a steady increase in votes. He is, in fact, the most popular prime minister of the past half-century.